


The Force Unknown

by Pat Auctor (cinnamon_owl)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Adventure, Bothan, Conflict, Dark Jedi - Freeform, Fanfiction, Gray Jedi, Grey Jedi, Human, Jedi, Multi, Original Character(s), Science Fiction, Sith, Twi'leks (Star Wars), Violence, Zabraks (Star Wars), mature - Freeform, mature language, rishii, scifi, zelosian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:27:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22837006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnamon_owl/pseuds/Pat%20Auctor
Summary: The year is 8130 and the Jedi Council is ramping up a new campaign against the Dark Side. A group of Grey Jedi, splintered from the main order for some years, now watches as war begins to loom and threaten the tenuous peace of the galaxy. Sith lords continue to seek power, the Jedi seek to destroy the threat of darkness, and the Grey Jedi struggle to maintain some level of balance in the Force and their world.
Kudos: 4





	1. About

This is my latest dive in fanfiction!

Growing up I was raised on the original trilogy and the prequels. 

The latest line of Star Wars media (such as the Mandalorian and the animated shows... oh and KOTOR I/II) has sparked that good ol' nostalgia in me, and I wanted to share that with others!

I hope you enjoy!

Updates will roll out each Friday by 6pm EST!


	2. Prologue

The year is 8130. The Republic is in a time of tentative peace.

While the senate is busy with diplomats and dignitaries forging new trade compacts, alliances, and managing on-going political and economic ties, a tension looms.

The Jedi and Sith had been fragmented and reformed.

The Sith were more varied when it came to gathering power, control, and influence. While some still strove towards power through domination and notions of perceived superiority, others had decided to take a more subtle path. They aimed to use the laws of the Republic and the ever developing business spheres to grow their power and influence.

Fear of the old Sith means and ideals still haunted the galaxy though.

The Jedi, after years of conflict with the Sith and Dark Jedi in the newest Republic era, found themselves turning back towards their traditional tenants and tactics. This shift resulted in a schism, creating The Order and the less structured Grey Jedi guilds.

The Order embraced the traditional ways of the Jedi and hunted down any within the dark side’s influence with a crusader’s fervor. The Order also strove to ensure strong ties with the Senate, ties which often benefited the Jedi in their fight to stamp out what they considered to be “evil”.

The Grey Guilds, despite seeing a growth in numbers, embraced a more varied and less orthodox way of living life while also being connected to the Force. Inspired by Jedi and belief systems of old, such as the order under Luke Skywalker or the Potentium, the Grey Jedi saw the Force itself as neutral. It was the individual and how they used the Force that made it “good” or “evil”.

Operating more as a series of guilds scattered throughout the galaxy with a council of guild leaders stationed on Bothawui, the Grey Jedi were often sought out as intermediaries between Jedi and Sith conflicts or simply as specialized mercenaries in the Outer Rim.

Now the Grey Jedi find themselves caught in the middle once again as the Jedi of The Order begin a new hunt for dark side users, and the Sith seek out new opportunities to quell the Jedi’s attacks. Some members of the Grey Order have taken to acting in the shadows in order to temper the rising tensions by whatever means necessary.


	3. Chapter 1

Bothawui was a thriving world dotted with cities. It had become a central hub for trading between the different parts of the galaxy and also home for many of the Grey Jedi. While the Grey Jedi operated more as a series of guilds where Veterans would compile and offer out missions and requests to those looking for them, Bothawui acted as a home for elected representatives of the Grey Jedi to meet and tend to business.

While relatively peaceful, there were some cities that were worse off than others. Tsavais was well known for its gambling and nightlife. It was a rough place to grow up, but once you knew your way around the city it was no more dangerous than any other. At least, that’s how Syra saw it.

Tsavais had been home for Syra and her team for some years. She had first arrived shortly after joining the Grey Jedi guilds under the wing of the Counselor Kwa-Shaan. She had happily turned in her sabers for a set of vibroblades and was given free reign to work with the Grey Jedi as she pleased.

Over time she’d teamed up with other Grey Jedi, a Bothan woman named Vailun, and a Zelosian man named Col’Dre. Together they made a well balanced team. Vailun was their weapon’s expert and sniper, Col’Dre acted as their pilot and technician, and Syra was their resident stealthy duelist.

From their apartment they could see most of the lower levels of the city. Small transport vessels zipped by, streaking the air with bright lights. Between the vessels and bright signs, the lower levels of the city might as well have been as bright as the day itself.

Col’Dre sat on the couch, flipping through the television channels trying to find something to watch. His emerald eyes vanished behind heavy lids for a moment before focusing back on the screen.

“Is the cold bugging you, Col?” Syra asked as she took a seat on the edge of the couch.

The Zelosian shook his head, “I’m okay. It was just a long day fixing up the ship.” He stretched out and rolled onto his back, “I can’t wait until we can buy a new ship. Something… flashy.”

“With a racing stripe down the side?” Syra offered with a smirk.

“Of course! How else will people know it goes fast?” Col’Dre grinned despite his exhaustion.

The feline-looking Bothan strode into the room, a mug of tea cupped in her hands. “All we need is one more high paying mission and that new ship is as good as ours!” Vailun let out a content sigh, “Soon. I can feel it.”

“Oh? Is the Force telling you something good is coming?” Syra arched a brow, leaning against the back of the couch to look at her friend.

“Force. Instincts. Call it what you will.” Vailun tapped her temple with a claw, “I can feel it. You know I’m usually right about these kinds of things.”

As if on cue the communications terminal on the wall began to beep and chime. The Bothan grinned broadly as she glanced from the terminal to her friends.

“Care to make a bet?” she offered.

Syra hopped off the couch and walked past Vailun on her way to answer the call, “Nah friend. I’m not losing another pay cheque to your instincts again.”

She tapped on the screen to accept the call. It took a few seconds before the screen lit up and the staticy face of a canine Bothan appeared. His muzzle was dotted with grey fur and his eyes held years upon years of solemn wisdom.

“Veteran Hendril.” Syra greeted, “How can we help you?”

The elder’s voice was made all the more gravelly by the weak signal, “I received a call for assistance from the new trading settlement of Kal-Vog. It seems they have been struggling with some bandits stealing equipment and weapons from them. The merchants have asked that we send someone to investigate.”

Syra and Vailun looked at the screen as a box opened up with information about the request. It was a very tempting contract. Good credits and not too far away. Kal-Vog was a newly established trading town that specialized in arms dealing. If the trio recalled correctly, it was a couple hours away from their home.

“I’m good to take it if you guys are.” Syra said to her teammates, still looking over the details on the screen.

“I’m in. Col?” Vailun called over her shoulder.

The Zelosian’s hand appeared over the edge of the couch, giving his friends a thumbs up.

“Excellent. I wish you the best of luck.” the Veteran nodded before cutting the connection.

Col’Dre pulled himself into a sitting position and nodded his head at a clock on the wall, “What time should we leave at?”

“Well, you need some sleep. How about we set off at dawn?” Syra offered.

“Dawn.” Col’Dre yawned as he lay back down, “Sure. Sounds great. Wake me when it’s time…” His voice trailed off as his head met with the soft cushion of the couch.

Vailun gently elbowed Syra as she whispered, “Want to head down a level to the cantina? I hear they’re hosting some small tournament games. We could grab some drinks and watch the fun.” She gently poked Syra’s cheek, “Come on. It’s still early enough in the evening. We’ll pop down for a bit. Stick around for an hour or two, and then come back. Sound fair?”

“Okay, but try to avoid having a hangover in the morning, okay?” Syra said as she followed Vailun out the door of their apartment.

“Me? Have a hangover? Oh, Syra my dear… You truly don’t know me.” Vailun grinned broadly.


	4. Chapter 2

The cantina was bustling as more and more patrons flooded in from the walkway. Syra and Vailun had managed to find a cozy little booth near one of the gaming tables where they could watch some of the games. It appeared that half the tables were reserved for serious tournament participants, and the other half were open for anyone who wanted to try their hand in less high stake games.

Syra enjoyed the hustle and bustle of a busy scene, be it a cantina or a city street. It was a welcome distraction of noise and energy. For example, in the humming and droning of the cantina she alternated between listening to the table behind her where some young ladies were talking about their work day, and listening to a debate that was raging at one of the tournament tables. It sounded like someone was using loaded dice.

Vailun’s ear twitched as she watched the table where the argument was beginning to heat up. A Human stood up, trying to snatch a set of dice away from a Zabrak, shouting that the other man was a clear cheat.

The Bothan took a sip of her drink and sighed, “Syra. Seems the local idiot is at it again.”

Syra pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply, “Yep. I know.” She took a swig of her drink before standing up, “Watch my stuff.”

“Don’t kill him.” Vailun said in a teasing voice.

“I will make no such promises.” Syra responded with a tired, flat expression as she trudged over to the table where the two men were fighting.

The bouncers were watching the table closely, just waiting for someone to throw a punch so they could toss both of them out. They probably didn’t have long to wait as the two dice players were now standing, practically growling at each other from across the small table.

The pair paused as Syra approached the table.

“What is going on?” Syra asked with a weary expression, eyes focusing on the dice clenched in the Zabrak’s hand.

“This cheating bastard is using loaded dice!” the Human growled, pointing an accusatory finger at his opponent.

“Not my problem that you have shit luck.” the Zabrak responded bitterly.

“Give me the dice.” Syra stated, earning a smirk from the Human.

“Like fuck I will-” the Zabrak hissed, narrowing his glare on her now.

Syra turned to face him fully, her jaw clenched as she spoke, “Give me. The dice. Wrayth.” She held out her hand expectantly, glancing at the bouncers who were already moving in closer.

Wrayth let out a low growl, noticing the bouncers as they approached. He dropped the dice into the woman’s hand, muttering something dark under his breath. He watched as Syra rolled the dice in her palm before tossing them down on the table.

He was waiting for them to land on a high number. He knew they would. She knew they would. So why bother with all this fuss? Surely this Jedi woman just wanted to rub in his face that he’d been caught cheating.

The dice bounced a few times.

She would probably just let security take him away. Not that it mattered. He would be out again by morning.

The first dice settled on a five.

Unless she wanted to teach him a lesson herself. It seemed like every time he got a new plan, that damn Jedi woman was there just in time to get in his way. Pain in the ass-

Syra’s index finger twitched slightly as the second dice teetered to a stop. One.

There was a long pause as silence echoed around the table.

Syra grabbed the dice again, tossing them down with a loose flick of her wrist. Another subtle twitch of her index finger and the dice landed on ones.

Wrayth glanced over at the woman with a curious expression before turning to sneer at the Human male across from him. He folded his arms across his chest, “See? My dice are clean!”

The Human looked stunned, a furious red dusting his face.

Syra grabbed a spare set of dice from one of the other tables and set them down in front of the Zabrak, her other hand snatching up his original dice.

“Hey! What are you doing-” Wrayth hissed, moving to grab her arm.

The woman pivoted so she was half facing the Zabrak rogue, a hand moving to grip the vibrosword on her back.

Wrayth grinned. It had been a while since they last fought. His hand started to drift towards the opening in his cloak, pulling the fabric back to reveal a lightsaber.

The Human at the table tensed, a small gasp of “Jedi” escaping his lips as he backed away from the table.

Wrayth turned to give the man a dark, hateful look.

The fear that leapt into the Human’s eyes at the sudden realization almost made all this trouble worth it. Wrayth grinned, baring a set of fangs at the other man who was already stumbling away from the table.

Everyone was frozen, waiting for someone to make the next move. Finally, one of the bouncers stepped forward so he was between Wrayth and Syra.

“Are we going to have a problem here?” he asked.

Syra looked from Wrayth to the bouncer and back again. She lowered her hand from her vibrosword and turned to walk away. As she began to stalk away, she made a show of tossing Wrayth’s dice up and catching them again. A wordless taunt as she left the Zabrak to decide his own fate with the bouncer.

***

Vailun arched a brow in amusement as Syra flopped back into her seat at the booth. She watched as her friend dropped the dice on the table, both of which landed on five. Vailun picked up the dice and rolled them herself, getting a five and a six.

“So glad to see you two getting along.” she commented, nudging the dice back towards Syra.

Vailun’s fur waved gently, a silent indication that she was thoroughly amused.

Picking up her glass, Syra took a long drink. “Oh yes, a wonderful time.” Syra muttered as she set down her drink. She tipped her head back against her seat and huffed, “I swear I am going to space that idiot some day.”

“Be thankful we never have to work with him.” snickered Vailun.

“The day I work with that Sith-wannabe is the day I want you to just drop me off on an asteroid in deep space.” Syra muttered in return, eyes shut as she tried to block out a headache.

There was a minute of silence where all Syra could hear was the dull hum of the cantina and the clinking of ice in Vailun’s drink. She tried to focus on the sounds around her, and not the tug of Force energy at the periphery of her mind. She could almost track the person as the tug grew stronger the closer they came.

She let out a long sigh, brows furrowing as someone unceremoniously sat down hard on the cushion beside her.

“Vai…”

She could practically hear the smirk Vailun had as she spoke.

“Yes, friend?”

“Please tell me that’s a feral beast come to eat my face.” Syra grumbled before opening one eye to look at Wrayth, “Fuck.”

Wrayth laughed. “You’re only half right.” He reached for his dice that sat in the middle of the table, “Lucky you I’m not hungry tonight.”

Syra’s hand landed over the dice, creating a protective dome over them, “Fuck off.”

Wrayth gave her a sour grin, “Such a temper. You know, you really should reconsider the dark side. I think you would just flourish if you embraced it at last.”

“I am two seconds from embracing **your neck** with my hands.” she glared.

Wrayth waggled a finger in mock admonishing, “Wrath is not the way of the Jedi.”

“Nor is avoiding hypocrisy.” came Syra’s dry response, earning a small laugh from Vailun.

The Zabrak let out a snort that bordered on amusement and agreement. He smirked down at the Grey Jedi, her usually teal tinted skin was a shade redder from her drink. It was always easier to get her riled up after a couple drinks.

He leaned back in the seat and examined his nails, “Wow, family get togethers must be such fun for you.”

“Listen you-” she began, face flushing with frustration as she twisted in her seat to glare up at him.

Wrayth flexed his fingers, summoning the now unguarded dice into his hand, “Temper, temper.” he teased, “I know. You’re ‘nothing like them’.” He stood up, “Lucky that. Or I would have had to cut you down by now.”

Syra shot him a sharp look, muttering loudly enough for him to hear that he probably wasn’t even worth a Jedi’s time.

Wrayth froze mid step, waves of tension and anger rolling off of him. The energy around him cause Syra and Vailun to tense. His hand twitched at his side before clenching into a fist as he stormed off.

The two Grey Jedi exchanged looks.

The Zabrak’s reaction didn’t surprise them much. The Dark Jedi had no love for the Jedi Council and the Jedi that hunted them. Over the last few years, the Jedi Council has ramped up its efforts to sniff out and eliminate any and all traces of the Dark Side. 

For many Grey Jedi, the latest generation of Dark Jedi were simply Force sensitives who did not want to follow the traditional Jedi creed. There were those who argued that their emotions, when given focus and purpose, made them stronger without necessarily putting them at risk for ‘evil’. They wanted the freedom to use their abilities as they desired, be it as peacekeepers, mercenaries, or whatever other aspirations they had. 

It was true, some Dark Jedi were corrupt enough to see themselves as ‘above’ other groups thanks to their gifts. Though from experience, Syra and her friends found many were no different than themselves. 

Syra shook her head, placing down some credits as she stood up. Just thinking about the Jedi Council and the Dark Jedi sparked a frustration in her. Memories flickering back to life in her mind. Back to when she was a Jedi herself. Before she sought out the Grey Guilds. 

Vailun caught her friend’s distracted look, watching as she quietly excused herself. It seemed like she was going to the arena to blow off some steam. 


	5. Chapter 3

A green skinned Twi’Lek sat at a workbench, idly working on a lightsaber while a radio played music beside him. Quest didn’t look up as the door to his apartment slid open with a grinding hiss. He could hear the heavy footsteps of his roommate trudging across the floor and towards one of the bedrooms. Clearly the other man was not in a good mood.

“How was the tournament?” Quest asked, resetting a crystal in the hilt of the saber.

Wrayth grunted in response, his voice an irritated growl.

“Ah, wonderful.” Quest replied, setting down the saber and flipping up his goggles. He turned in his seat to look at the open door of Wrayth’s room.

It took a few moments before the man stalked out from his room, cloak discarded somewhere in the darkness. He slumped down on a chair beside the workbench, foot tapping against the metal floor.

The Twi’Lek leaned against the workbench, mentally counting down until his friend began ranting.

“You know what pisses me off?” Wrayth asked.

_There it is._ Quest thought, propping an elbow on the edge of his work surface. He arched a brow, “Plans tanking? Jedi? When the heater busts and your room gets too cold?”

“That meddling Grey Jedi.” Wrayth’s voice was a feral growl.

Quest grinned, “Ah, Syra!” He got up, bouncing gently on his toes, and made his way over to the kitchen, “How is she?”

“A pain in my ass.” he grunted.

“Good to hear she is doing well.” Quest called out from the kitchen. A few mugs clinked as he fixed himself a mug of coffee.

Wrayth watched as the Twi’Lek returned from the kitchen with a hot mug filled with coffee. Quest nodded at the lightsaber on the workbench, gesturing for Wrayth to look at it while he took a long swig of his drink.

Quest had been working on upgrading their weapons. He wanted to add in a dial to control the length of the weapon, effectively allowing the lightsaber to be used as a long bladed weapon or even a short dagger.

It would be useful having the option to shift between blade lengths. A smaller blade was easier to hide than a full length lightsaber. At the same time, being able to change the length of your blade at a whim would surely throw most opponents off guard. The one problem Quest had kept running into was how hot the blade would get when shrunk down. The shorter the blade, the hotter the handle would become, making it impossible to use at times.

Picking up the handle, Wrayth twirled it in his hand. He glided his thumb over a small panel just under the guard. With a flick of his wrist a short blade, a little bit longer than your standard dagger or shiv, hummed to life. The deep orange energy gave off a warm, powerful glow.

The handle was a bit warm, but not nearly as bad as it had been in the past. The last time he saw Quest testing out the blade, the poor man had to have his hand bandaged for a solid week until the burns healed enough.

Another swipe across the panel and the blade flickered out for a brief moment before extending to its full length.

“Not bad at all.” Wrayth commented, giving the blade a spin.

“I finally found a sweet spot where the blade was short, but it didn’t overheat the grip. Plus the switch moves a secondary lense for switching between stabby knife mode and swishy blade mode.” Quest set his coffee down on the workbench, “It creates that little flicker when you switch modes, but that’s a fair trade off I would say.”

“Hm…” Wrayth switched off the blade and set it back down, “I think the Boss would really like this kind of upgrade.”

Quest grinned mischievously, “Already on that. Boss man said if I can actually get it working, he’ll let me provide the upgrade to the rest of the gang.” His eyes lit up, “Oh! Why don’t you use it in that dueling competition in two days?” He elbowed the Zabrak, “Show off my work for the Boss and the new sponsors who will be watching? I hear a certain Darteth Mirka of DM Security will be there.” His voice turned sing-songy at the end.

_DM Security?_ Wrayth arched a brow. Oh, that made the competition all the more interesting. Darteth Mirka was a Sith who owned a mercenaries-for-hire corporation, and a fairly popular one in the Outer Rim at that. He was expensive, but his resources and well trained legion of hired muscle made it well worth the cost. Of course, not everyone was clamoring to sign a contract with a Sith lord, but business was still good enough. They knew that their boss was currently working on establishing a contract with DM Security… But maybe showing off Quest’s upgrade and Wrayth’s own skills would help sweeten the deal.

Wrayth gave his friend a feral grin, “Quest, my good buddy, it looks like we have some work to do to prepare for the competition.”


	6. Chapter 4

The settlement of Kal-Vog was small. It was composed of a few buildings and a large shipping yard for vessels to come and drop off or take away goods. A humble size, but large enough to host a handful of merchants and their families. The hope was that if Kal-Vog was able to take off as a weapon dealing hub, then the Republic would funnel more credits into expanding the settlement.

If all went well, settlement would serve as an additional repair stop for Republic soldiers travelling from the core worlds to the Outer Rim and so forth. Plus it helped the Republic establish more footing in areas where Sith were expanding their own weapon and combat enterprises. 

As the ship landed and the crew disembarked, one of the local merchants approached with arms open wide. The air was thick and heavy with humidity, though it did not seem to bother the Bothan merchants at all.

“I was wondering when the Guild was going to send someone. It is good you have arrived when you did. Just last night we had another theft.” the Bothan merchant declared, fur twitching and jittering despite there being no breeze.

Vailun looked around, taking notice of the dense forest at the edge of the settlement. “Has anyone checked the forest for anyone creeping about?”

The merchant’s ears folded back as they gestured at the dense greenery, “We have tried looking but the tracks always loop back on themselves.” Her eyes narrowed frustration, “Whoever it is comes and goes using some craft. One of the guards managed to shoot it, but all that did was leak fuel everywhere!”

A leaking fuel tank wouldn’t get anyone very far. Even in a medium sized vessel you would need almost a full tank to get back to the nearest city or town. Most likely the ship and the bandits were downed somewhere between Kal-Vog and the nearest town, or the bandits were still hiding out in the forest.

“Let’s make a sweep of the area, see if anything comes up on our scanners.” Col’Dre suggested, peering into the darkness of the forest, “What size was the vehicle? It will help us know what we should be looking for.”

The merchant scratched behind her ear as she thought. “I… cannot recall. You should ask the guards. It was Jaliin that shot their craft last night.” She waved at one of the buildings with “Guard Station” written over the door.

The trio thanked the merchant, promising her that they would get to the bottom of this as soon as possible. The merchant’s temper seemed to ebb slightly at the promise. Without a word, she nodded before returning to her shop where supplies were gradually being moved in from the shipyard.

***

The guard station was a large enough building, but with a surprisingly small population. From the looks of it there were maybe six or seven guards plus their captain. Not nearly enough to properly protect a new settlement without overworking the guards.

A Human Captain greeted the three Grey Jedi at the door, welcoming them in and out of the humid air.

The cool air of the Guard Station was a welcomed reprieve for Syra and Col’Dre. Tsavais was a city made of spiralling metal buildings, but at least it had shade. Kal-Vog though, was essentially out in an open field. Even though it was one the edge of the forest, there was very little protection from the heat.

“Welcome, friends. You are the ones Hendril mentioned, yes? I am Captain Segun.” he extended his hand to each of them.

They each shook his hand, exchanging names before getting down to business.

“So you seem to be having some trouble with bandits. Is there anything you can tell us?” Syra asked, “One of the merchants already gave us some details, but more is always better than less.”

The Captain nodded, “Yes, Miss Yulee. I saw. You’ll have to excuse her frustration… She lost some valuable pieces of armor last night. It’s all covered by insurance, of course, but it is still an unneeded issue. It’s been hard enough getting this damn place up and running without thieves giving us more trouble.”

He walked over to his desk and pulled out a digital pad with the previous night’s report logged on it. With the rise in thefts, Captain Segun had moved a few extra hands over from the day shift to the night shift. Each guard logged hourly reports for their patrol routes.

“You will have to excuse me while I debrief you. Jaliin, one of the guards who chased off the thieves last night, is resting now and I do not wish to wake any of my night workers at the moment.” the Captain explained as he called up the previous night’s entries and began to scroll through them.

The three Grey Jedi listened patiently as the Captain read out the report. It seemed that early in the morning Jaliin heard noises coming from Yulee’s shop. He rounded a corner just in time to see two figures running off with a large sack of goods. Jaliin and two other guards chased the thieves into the forest, tracking them to a small speeder bike that they then tried to escape on. The guards opened fire, missing the thieves but damaging the fuel tank.

“Did your guards go looking for the downed bike?” Vailun asked.

The Captain nodded, “I sent most of the crew out to do a quick sweep, but they couldn’t find the thieves. The bike was found in a river about an hour or so north of here. It looked like someone had been trying to repair it but gave up and left it for scrap.”

Syra tapped her chin. The thieves were still around and were probably waiting for a chance to nab a new vessel to make their escape. A smirk tugged at her lips, “Do you have any speeders of your own?”

The Captain arched a brow, eyes narrowing in suspicion, “What are you aiming to do?”

“Those thieves are probably still out there waiting for a vessel or something to escape with.” Syra began.

Vailun grinned, picking up the plan, “We could do a sweep of the area ourselves, show off whatever speeders you currently have and maybe lure them out tonight. They come to grab one of the bikes and then we catch them.”

The Captain crossed his arms as he thought. They did have a few new speeder bikes that had yet to be unpacked, but he did not like the idea of potentially losing one to the thieves. He looked at the trio and sighed, “We really can’t afford to be losing more of our stock… And the few bikes we have are meant specifically for the guards.”

“We only need one to use as bait.” Col’Dre explained, “Plus, I can put a tracker on it that way we won’t easily lose it if they do, on the small chance, happen to escape.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, the Captain let out a long and weary sigh. “Fine.” He said at last, “Give me some time to get the bikes brought out.”

***

The speeders that were brought out were as flashy as they came. Freshly painted metal that had been polished to a mirror shine and engines that purred like a hoard of baby Bothans in a field.

“I want one.” Syra murmured sadly, knowing they would not be taking one of the bikes home with them.

“Seriously, Sy?” Vailun asked, smirking at her friend fawning over the bike.

“They’re so cool looking. I bet they go super fast.” Syra said, delicately ghosting a finger over one of the handles.

Col’Dre gave the bike a skeptical look, “I’ll stick to sturdy ships, thank you.”

“But you can zip around narrow areas so easily with a bike!” Syra said.

“And you can be taken out easily. At least a ship can stand a few shots before going out of commission.” he retorted. He tossed a tracker to Syra, “That’s why I am staying back here in the ship.”

“Oh, how noble of you.” Vailun teased.

“Hey, someone’s got to make sure the tracker is working properly.” Col’Dre said casually as he turned towards their ship, “Do try not to lose the tracker while you are zipping about out there.”

“Oh for sure. Stars only know how we would ever find it if it were to fall off.” Syra called over her shoulder with a mockingly woeful voice and placing the tracker under the front light. She gave it a firm tug to make sure the magnet wasn’t going to let go.

***

Col’Dre watched one of the screens from the ship’s cockpit as Syra and Vailun did their sweep of the area. The tiny earpiece he wore allowed him to stay in contact with the two ladies. For the first while all he could hear was their whoops and cheers as the bikes took off across the expanse of long grasses and skirted along the forest’s edge.

He silently wished the ship had better scanning functions. It could scan for metal, but not heat signatures. Once they got the new ship, he definitely wanted to have that feature put into the system.

The tracker’s beeping quickened as Syra and Vailun returned to the ship. Col’Dre nodded appreciatively at how well the tracker had worked, even at a long range. When those thieves returned, there was no way they were going to escape.

It took a few minutes before Syra and Vailun returned to the ship looking absolutely thrilled. Even though they hadn’t seen any sign of the thieves, at least they’d gotten a fun ride out of it.

Syra’s bike with the tracker had been left out beside Yulee’s shop. Vailun’s bike had been hidden behind some crates a bit further away. Once it got dark, they would take up watch and wait for the thieves to return.


	7. Chapter 5

A young boy and girl looked out from the edge of the forest, watching as the guards made their rounds. From their hiding spot they could see the two women who’d been zipping about earlier getting off their bikes.

One woman looked completely at ease as she walked away from the bike, leaving it out in the open. The woman’s companion, however, seemed to have the good sense to tuck her own out of sight.

“Adana…” the boy whispered, tugging on his sister’s sleeve.

“I see it.” the girl said, “But we need to wait. We can’t go out there right now when the guards can see us.”

“Ferron is going to be so mad that we’ve been gone for this long.” the boy, Tili, mumbled, leaning against the trunk of a tree and fanning his face. The humid air was starting to become overwhelming.

“But he’s going to be so impressed when we come back with our hoard.” Adana said confidently, patting the large sack of weapons and armor they’d managed to steal the previous night.

Looking at her brother, she could see he was struggling with the heat. She reached into a smaller bag and offered him a flask with water in it. They didn’t have much left, but if they were lucky they could grab the bike the woman had left behind and be home before dehydration became a big problem.

***

Vailun peered into the darkness as the sun set behind her and Syra. She’d been watching the treeline for a while, trying to spot any movement as the settlement grew darker and quieter.

The guards had already finished their first round of patrols and the two Grey Jedi could also see holes in their routes where the thieves could have easily slipped past without any notice. Hopefully that would be fixed soon once more guards were sent over.

Vailun tapped Syra’s shoulder, indicating she noticed some movement. Her eyes tracked a pair of shadows moving slowly over to Yulee’s shop.

“Col?” Syra whispered into a communication device she’d pulled from her pocket.

“Got some movement.” Col’Dre replied, watching as the tracker began to move on his screen.

There was a soft hum as the speeder came to life and started to take off. 

Syra tucked the communicator back into her pocket, holding onto Vailun as she powered up her own bike and took off after the thieves.

***

Working with Col’Dre up in the ship, Vailun tried to herd the thieves into a position where they would be trapped. Unfortunately, just when they thought they had them, the thieves slipped past and into the darkness of the forest. 

Vailun grit her teeth as she tried to follow the thieves while Col’Dre kept feeding her information about where the tracker was going.

Syra sat up, leaning against Vailun’s back as she reached out with one hand. She tried to focus on the other bike, reaching out with a push of the Force to try and knock the bike off centre.

“Wait!” Vailun called out, “Let’s get them back out into the field, then try to knock them off!”

It was a good point. Damaging either of the bikes wouldn’t help the people back in Kal-Vog. They were already missing enough of their wares, wrecking the bikes would only make things more difficult for them.

Syra nodded, grabbing her communicator, “Col’Dre! We need to get them out in the open! Turn on the searchlight and let's see if we can’t get them to move out of this damn darkness!”

“Roger that.” Col’Dre replied, flicking on a searchlight that lit up the forest beneath the ship.

The thieves’ bike faltered as the light lit up the area around them. They banked right and attempted to get back into the darkness.

Vailun managed to pull up beside them and begin forcing them back out into the open. It was only once they got close that Syra was able to see the thieves more clearly. She felt her stomach tense as the young boy on the back at the bike gave her a furious look and attempted to kick at the bike she was on.

“Ease back!” Syra called out, “They’re kids!”

“What?” came the shocked responses from Vailun and Col’Dre.

“Are you certain?” Vailun asked, trying to watch the trees as they flew by.

“Col, keep back a bit! Once they are in the open, I’m going to try and slow their bike.” Syra spoke into her communicator.

Instantly the light from the ship fell back a bit, giving the thieves’ bike some space as it broke past the treeline.

Reaching out with the Force, Syra managed to grab hold of the bike and slowly bring it to a halt a short distance away. As she and Vailun parked their bike, the young boy leapt from the stolen bike and began charging at them.

“Tili! Wait!” the driver called out.

The boy reached for his belt and grabbed a lightsaber which flashed to life with a burning red blade.

With a wave of her hand, Syra easily summoned the saber from the boy’s hand and into her own.

The young boy looked up at her with shock and fear, stumbling backwards slightly.

The girl, who looked only a bit older than the boy, began fumbling for a laser pistol only to have it pulled from her hands as well. Cursing, she leapt from her bike and rushed to stand in front of her brother.

“Stay back!” she shouted, eyes filled with a protective fury as she shielded her brother, “I’m warning you!”

Syra slowly knelt down to set the lightsaber on the ground, rising carefully with her palms showing. 

“We aren’t going to hurt you.” she said gently.

“Bullshit! You’re Jedi! You’re going to hand us over to your masters! That’s why you’re here isn’t it?” the girl yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at the two women.

“Easy now…” Vailun spoke gently, “We’re with the Grey Guilds. Not the Jedi. We are here because we were told about some thefts that were going on. That is all.”

Tili, quaking with nerves, turned pale as he murmured to his sister. Adana started to ask what was wrong when the boy began to topple backwards.

“What’s wrong?” Syra asked, taking a tentative step forward and watching closely as the girl steadied her brother.

“We’ve been in this heat for so long. He needs water.” Adana said quickly as she placed a hand on her brother’s cheek which was already cool to the touch.

“Col’Dre, land the ship and get the med room ready.” Vailun said into her own communicator.

Syra knelt down near Adana and Tili, “Let us help you. We have medicine and water on the ship.” She saw the hesitation in Adana’s eyes, “Please. You have my word that we will keep you both safe.”

Adana looked at her brother, who was struggling to stay on his feet now. She gave Syra a sharp look, “Just make sure he is okay.”

Syra nodded and motioned for the two young siblings to follow her into the ship as it landed. As they stepped onto the ship, Col’Dre brought the siblings to the small medical room to get treated for their heat exhaustion. Once the pair were settled, Syra helped Vailun move the bikes onto the ship before taking off again.

***

Syra and her teammates talked in the cockpit, watching their guests from a security camera. The whole experience was jarring for them.

“Why are kids out here stealing? And are they seriously with the Dark Jedi? I thought they didn’t take on kids!” Col’Dre ran a hand over his head as he guided the ship back towards Kal-Vog.

“I don’t think they are trained. They didn’t try to use any Force powers at all…” Syra murmured. She nodded at the security camera, “How are they doing?”

Vailun looked at the screen for a moment, “They seem okay. The boy is drinking the water slowly.”

Syra shook her head in disbelief. “Kids… Of all things.” she murmured, turning on her heels, “I’m going to grab some rations for them. They must be hungry.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the security feed if you need anything. Okay?” Vailun offered.

Syra simply nodded before leaving to go and get some supplies for the kids.

***

Syra knocked at the door, waiting for Adana or Tili to call her in. It took a moment before Adana spoke up, allowing Syra to open the door and enter the medical room.

Tili sat up on the bed, slowly sipping at his water. Colour was already starting to return to the boy’s face, much to Syra’s and Adana’s relief.

The young thieves watched as Syra set down some ration packages. Tili was the first to reach out and examine the list of contents.

“I got you guys the ones with cookies.” Syra offered with a gentle smile.

Tili’s eyes lit up as he tore open the packaging and rifled around for the cookies. 

Adana plucked up one of the packages and slowly tore it open, murmuring a quiet ‘thank you’ as she did so.

Syra watched the siblings for a moment, letting them eat a bit before speaking. “Why are you two out here?” she asked.

“Stealing.” Adana said simply.

“No, really?” Syra arched a brow playfully, “I thought you were just a couple of speeder superstars out to make a name for yourselves.” She smiled as Tili giggled at the joke. “Nice driving by the way. With practice, I think you could compete.”

Adana looked up, surprised by the compliment. She took a few more bites of her rations before looking at her brother. The room fell silent again, though a little less tense than before. The quiet beeps and hisses of the medical bay gently echoing around the tiny space. 

Adana gave a weary sigh, “We were trying to get some stuff to help our brother’s gang with an upcoming dueling competition.”

Nodding her head slightly, curious at the statement, Syra asked, “You’re in a gang?”

“The Red Blades!” Tili said proudly, “Do you know them?”

Syra chuckled, “I’ve heard of them, yes. Had my own run in with a couple of their members too. Though I was not aware they were taking in kids…”

“We’re not members... yet. Our brother won’t allow it until we are older.” Adana said, “And we aren’t kids. I’m sixteen and he’s thirteen.”

“My apologies.” Syra bowed her head slightly, changing the topic, “Does your brother know you are out here?”

No response. That’s basically what Syra was expecting.

“Well… regardless.” Syra leaned against the wall beside the door, “We’ll get you home safe and sound. I’m sure your brother will be glad to see you again. You two rest up. We’re going to make a stop at Kal-Vog and then head back to the city, alright?”

The siblings nodded, watching as Syra left the room.

***

When their ship landed again, they were greeted by Captain Segun and a handful of guards. Col’Dre stayed behind while his friends unloaded the bikes and returned them to the guards.

Syra and Vailun spent some time talking to the Captain and giving him a report. They’d managed to retrieve the bike, but unfortunately the thieves escaped. The two Grey Jedi had also found some of the items stolen from the previous night, but they could not guarantee everything was returned. The only thing they were certain of was that the thieves likely would not be returning any time soon.

Captain Segun was not fond of the idea that the thieves got away, but he was happy that some of the items had been returned. Also that the bikes had not been damaged. He handed over the credits owed to them for their work, and then bid them farewell as they got ready to return home.

***

The flight back home was fairly quiet. Tili and Adana had eventually come out of the medical room to look around the central observation area of the ship. Syra flipped through a datapad, sending an update to Veteran Hendril about the mission.

She looked up when she felt Tili staring at her. She arched a brow, “Yes?”

“You’re not Human, are you?” he asked.

“Tili!” Adana gaped.

Syra laughed, setting down the datapad, “Only half. My mother is a Twi’Lek.” 

“Is she a Grey Jedi too?” he asked, eyes bright with curiosity.

Syra shook her head, voice turning quiet, “No. She’s not a Force Sensitive.”

Adana’s eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Syra. There was something melancholic in her eyes. Something distant.

She decided to change the topic, “You said you knew some people in the Red Blades. Who do you know?”

“Just two guys. Wrayth and Quest.” Syra replied simply, plucked back from her thoughts.

Adana’s eyes widened with recognition, “Wait! Are you Syra?”

“The one and only.” Syra looked up with a small grin before giving a dramatic half bow, “I hope my reputation precedes me in the best possible way.”

“Are you really… okay with Dark Jedi?” Adana asked, still wary of the Grey Jedi.

Syra shrugged simply, “I don’t have any issue with Dark Jedi as long as they aren’t giving me a reason to have an issue with them. Many of the Dark Jedi I’ve met are just people trying to live their lives.” Her brow knit slightly, “Not too fond of power hungry Sith types… But they are a separate topic all together.”

“Do you… have an issue with us?” Tili asked, suddenly looking more meek.

Syra paused to think for a moment. She gave the siblings a small but playful smirk, “I don’t know, are you guys looking to hurt innocent people? Do you see yourselves as superior to others? Do you believe you have some authority to control others?”

“No way!” Tili shook his head adamantly, “We’re not that bad!”

The smirk softened into a content smile, “Then I have no issue with you.”

“Why not? You were called in to deal with thieves, and we’re thieves.” Adana stated pointedly, still uncertain about trusting any possible Jedi, Grey or not.

“Really now?” Syra said as she called out to Vailun, “Hey, Vai? Did we ever catch those thieves?”

“Nah,” Vailun called back, voice brimming with amusement, “We lost them back in the forest, remember?”

Syra smirked at the siblings, “See? We lost the thieves. We did however find two kids- pardon, young individuals, who were lost and needed help.”

“So we’re good?” Tili asked, expression hopeful.

“So long as you two don’t go back there any time soon, yeah. Sure.”

She got up and excused herself to the cockpit. She had a report to finish up and wanted to run it by her teammates before sending it off.


	8. Chapter 6

A small arena sat on the edge of the lower and middle levels of Tsavais. It was typically open during the day for guests and fighters to come and train, and at night it became a rumble dome where individuals or teams would compete for prize money. Since it was the day before a major competition, the arena was only going to be left open to the public for half a day so there would be time to prepare the area.

Syra and Vailun had taken the opportunity to get in some practice before the facilities closed up for the next twenty four hours. 

The training weapons provided by the arena varied depending on what the user was comfortable with. Typically the training weapons were blunted blades, staves, and stun guns. For those more experienced, and willing to sign a waiver that they would not go after the arena for damages, they could use their own weapons. This suited Syra and Vailun just fine as they brought in a set of daggers for some hand-to-hand practice.

Col’Dre watched from outside the training room, a camera fixed on his friends as they began their training routine. Their routines seemed to focus on grappling, or more specifically, Vailun trying to catch hold on Syra and Syra trying to escape.

Syra was experienced with stealth and going undetected, but Vailun was a larger and physically stronger woman in comparison. With the Bothan’s quick reflexes, Syra quickly found herself on the defensive. It wasn’t easy, but eventually Vailun was able to grab hold of Syra and throw her to the ground.

Vailun watched as Syra twisted, rolling as she hit the ground before pushing herself back onto her feet.

“Next?” Vailun asked, bouncing on her toes as she waited.

Syra nodded, readying her dagger.

“Try throwing me off.” Vailun said, charging at her friend.

Syra blocked Vailun’s dagger, watching at Vailun stepped behind her. The Bothan put her in a choke hold and lifted her off the ground slightly.

Gripping onto Vailun’s forearm, Syra drove her other elbow into her friend’s stomach. As Vailun bent forward, Syra tried to throw her weight forward, throwing Vailun off balance.

As soon as her feet found purchase on the foam mat, Syra twisted free from Vailun’s grasp and moved to pin Vailun’s arm behind her back.

Vailun grinned when she felt the flat edge of Syra’s dagger tap her neck. 

Syra released her friend, allowing Vailun to sit up and face her again.

“Much better.” Vailun commented, “If you want to stagger someone before they can get behind you, go for the sternum.” She explained, pressing the pommel of her dagger lightly against her own sternum, “You don’t need much force for it to be very effective.”

“Got it.” Syra said, helping her friend to their feet, “Again?”

Vailun nodded, dusting herself off before taking position in the middle of the mat again.

***

An hour passed as Col’Dre watched the two going through their routines. At one point they switched over to a set of training staves to practice with. They had tried to get him into the training room a few times, but he had declined. He was better with a pistol than anything else. They had promised him a chance to practice in the firing range as soon as they were done.

The Zelosian glanced up from his camera when he noticed someone walking over. A Human leaned against the wall beside him, watching the two women training.

“They’re impressive.” the man said appreciatively, “They with you?”

“We’re a team, yes.” Col’Dre replied simply, eyeing the man warily, “They’re the fighters. I’m their techie and pilot.”

“The best damn pilot we’ve seen.” Syra called from the door as she and Vailun left the training room.

“And good with a pistol.” Vailun said, ruffling Col’Dre’s hair as she approached.

The Human grinned broadly, “A supportive team! That is wonderful. You don’t see that too often.” He commented, sounding like a salesman about to give a pitch.

The trio exchanged looks before focusing back on the man.

He cleared his throat, “Excuse me, my name’s Verden Noam. You know… I think it’s important when a team supports each other. Mutual support helps everyone. Sometimes that means someone gives a little to receive a little.”

“What’s the catch?” Syra asked impatiently, boredom written into her expression, “We’ve got stuff to do.”

“I have a little business proposition. You see… I could use some extra muscle. You know how there’s this gang running the lower levels? The Red Blades? Just a bunch of punks playing Jedi and scaring the folks down there into staying in line. Well, me and my associates want to help those poor people.” He folded his arms, looking away in frustration, “Thing is… They’re so scared of those bastards, they won’t accept our help unless we can prove that we can wipe the floor with the Red Blades’ goons.” He grinned suddenly, “I managed to strike up a deal with some of the people down there. If we can absolutely demolish the Red Blades in the duels tomorrow, then the folks will allow us to come in and protect them.”

_ This is a load of shit. _ Vailun’s voice echoed in Syra and Col’Dre’s minds.

_ I didn’t think things were that bad on the lower levels… _ Col’Dre wondered.

_ Play along. _ Syra responded. She gave the man an appraising look, “You know just beating someone in a ring won’t do much.”

“Well… If some of them die… Accidents happen all the time in these sorts of things.” Verden shrugged.

“True… And if we agree?” Syra asked.

The man’s eyes lit up, “All you have to do is compete and help my team win. You’ll get a cut of the prize money and any benefits that come from helping us help the people below.”

“So, we beat up some thugs and get paid? Sounds like a fun time to me.” Syra grinned mischievously.

“Excellent!” Verden grinned proudly, “When you register tomorrow, just say you are competing in affiliation with the Deadly Rals.”

He confirmed where he and his gang would be gathering in the arena, assuring Syra and her team that there would be seats for all of them should they desire. With that, he strode off into the crowd.

Col’Dre gave the man a sharp, untrusting look before turning to his friends. His voice was low as he spoke, “We’re not really going to work with that asshole, right? He makes my skin crawl…”

“Something’s very wrong… Yeah, the Red Blades aren’t the best, but I hadn’t heard anything about them causing too much trouble for the lower levels…” Syra said, brows furrowed as she thought.

“Let’s head down and see what we can learn for ourselves.” Vailun said as she helped Col’Dre gather up his camera and duffle bag. It looked like the firing range was going to have to wait until another time.

***

A dark robed figure sat by the bar, watching as Verden sauntered towards one of the training rooms. The moment the man had heard someone say ‘Grey Jedi’ when the trio entered the building, his attention had been locked on nothing else. It was like watching a hungry snake going after its prey.

Even when he spoke to the three Grey Jedi, the robed figure could feel the distaste and doubt rolling off of them. He had to admit, he had been mildly curious initially as the trio agreed to Verden’s terms. The moment Verden walked away though, intrigue set in as the Grey Jedi began making plans for their own investigation.

The robed figure sat back in his seat, taking a long sip of his drink as a smirk appeared on his face. Tomorrow’s competition was going to be interesting.


	9. Chapter 7

The lower levels of Tsavais were dark, dank and dismal. If you wanted to get your hands on illicit goods, engage in some street racing, or if you simply could not afford living in the middle levels of the city, then this was the place you came to.

For the most part people were just trying to get by and make a living for themselves. One of the noticeable groups in the lower levels was a small band of Dark Jedi who’d formed a gang called the Red Blades. They had come onto the scene some years prior after kicking out another gang who’d been running the area.

Syra and her team only had a passing knowledge of the gang aside from their run ins with Wrayth and Quest. As far as they knew, most of the people in the lower levels were fairly content with the Red Blades. They were strong enough to keep the other, smaller, gangs at bay and were perfectly content leaving the average person alone so long as they didn’t cause trouble for them. The merchants paid small monthly fees for additional protection, though Verden’s scheme made it seem like that wasn’t working out.

When you wanted information, the first place you went was the cantina. The cantina of the lower levels was not nearly as decorative as the ones found in the upper levels of the city, but it served its purpose. It was there that Syra and her friends learned about a few of the merchants who’d recently been visited by a newcomer representing the Deadly Rals gang.

Apparently the Deadly Rals had started out as a small time gang a bit deeper down in the city. They’d grown in number over the last year, bringing in new mercenaries and taking over other territories as they went. Gang members from areas that had been taken over either joined Verden and his group, joined other allied gangs, or left entirely. The Red Blades had taken in a couple new members after the last expansion of the Deadly Rals’ territory. Now the up and coming gang stood a chance at rivalling the Red Blades.

One of the most recent shop owners who’d been visited was an old Twi’Lek woman named Marana. She’d welcomed the Grey Jedi into her shop while she was struggling to get a computer terminal working. When Verden and some of his associates had visited the previous evening, they’d left a bit of damage on the terminal she used for tracking her inventory and sales. Even from a few feet away, the Grey Jedi could see some dents in the machine.

Marana cursed sadly as she leaned against the counter. “Damn them…” She sighed, head resting in one hand.

Col’Dre nodded at the computer, “How damaged is it?”

“I am not really sure… I think something might have gotten knocked loose.” Marana explained, rolling her shoulders to try and work out a knot, “My grandson will be checking in later to look at it.”

“Well, I’m experienced with these kinds of things. Would you mind if I tried taking a look?” he offered.

“Be my guest. It’s not like it can get any more broken.” She sighed in defeat, stepping away from the terminal so Col’Dre could start looking it over.

“What happened? I thought the Red Blades protected this area.” Syra said, looking around the shop.

“They do… It’s just with the Deadly Rals causing so much trouble, they have to deal with extra pressures from other gangs as well.” She took a seat, gesturing at the shop, “Ferron’s promised that those Ral bastards will get what’s coming to them… I’m just worried… My grandson is with Ferron’s gang and if they go to war…” She raised her hands to her face, shoulders shaking, “I hope Ferron runs those bastards out of town. They are brutes.”

“One of their men approached us up in the arena. Seems like they want to try and take out some of the Red Blades in the duels tomorrow.” Syra explained, “He made it sound like people down here were supportive of his gang. He just needed to prove his gang’s strength.”

Marana shot her a furious look, “He is a liar and a cheat, and if you are working for him you can get out!”

Syra took a step back, palms raised, “We’re not with the Rals, I promise. We just want a better understanding of what is going on.”

“How can I trust you?” the old woman frowned, watching Syra very closely.

“Your grandson works for Ferron and his gang, yes? Pass on a message for me. Tell Ferron that Syra Gerun is competing under the Deadly Rals gang. I will try and weed out as many of those bastards as I can, thin their ranks. I am sure Ferron will send his best fighters to the competition. If it comes down to me and one of his Red Blades, I will throw the match.”

“And if… If the Rals take out all of Ferron’s people?” Marana asked.

Syra was silent for a long moment. “Then hopefully I do enough damage that Ferron’s remaining people can get an upper hand after the match.”

Marana looked at the metal floor for a long while as silence filled the space. “You really want to help?” she asked, glancing up slightly.

Syra nodded firmly.

Shaking her head, Marana stood up. “I make no promises about your message… But I will see what I can do. Ferron already knows that Verden is pulling every trick he can for the fights. Most of us don’t want anything to do with Verden and his goons, but there’s not much that we can do to stop them.”

The old woman looked up as Col’Dre surfaced from underneath the terminal, proudly declaring that he’d fixed the problem. A few wires had popped loose, as well as one of the chips, but he’d managed to get them reset. Hopefully they would hold until Marana’s grandson arrived with proper equipment for the job.

She moved to take her position at the terminal, powering it up and running through some of the menus. She was pleasantly surprised that everything was responding at last. A little slow, but it was better than nothing.

She called out to the trio as they started to leave. “Thank you… and good luck.”

They gave her pleasant smiles and bid her farewell as they left. As they wandered through the lower level towards one of the elevators, they could feel eyes watching them. Something told them that Ferron was already well aware of their presence. Now they just had to hope he would understand why they were in his territory.


	10. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> April 28, 2020- I made a small addition to this chapter for later plot stuff.

Ferron could hear the blood rushing in his ears. He really didn’t know who he wanted to drop off a bridge first. Verden or the businessman who sat before him. He thought it was bad enough that the Deadly Rals were gradually chipping away at his territory and sending the other gangs into a fearful frenzy. It was still driving him mad as he wondered just how the Deadly Rals had gotten so strong so quickly. It seemed like they went from a handful of simple thugs to a veritable powerhouse almost overnight.

Sitting across from him on the other side of the desk was Darteth Mirka. The Sith businessman sat quietly with a bemused expression on his face. The expression hadn’t faded in the slightest since he’d informed Ferron about Verden’s dealings with the Grey Jedi.

Darteth had sought out the gangs of Bothawui looking for new potential mercenaries to add to his payroll. The Red Blades had stood out for a number of reasons. Firstly, most of the gang’s members were dark side Jedi, or at the very least had some level of Force sensitivity. That alone made them powerful and potentially useful allies. Secondly, they were familiar with Bothawui and the surrounding planets. The gang had a habit of adopting new members from across the Outer Rim. It was something Ferron took pride in. Ferron sought to bolster the strength of his gang, his family, by building connections and alliances. It was how he’d kept things relatively peaceful with the other gangs of the lower levels for so long.

Leaning back in his seat, Darteth looked around the simple office. A few weapons and trophies decorated the walls. The ones mounted behind Ferron’s desk each had their own plaque with a gang’s name and ‘date of alliance’ written on it. The message it sent was clear. Ferron and his gang ran the lower levels. They had a solid backing, numerous allies, and the ability to use them if they chose to do so.

It was a pity some of those gangs were effectively out of commission thanks to the Deadly Rals.

Darteth pointed at one of the weapons, “The Night-Winds… I thought they were all destroyed.”

Ferron’s jade eyes flickered up to Darteth, resting there for a moment in stern consideration. “Those who did not simply run off with Verden are here with us. Once the Rals are dealt with, they will rebuild their group.” he explained, tone tight and controlled.

“Do you think it is wise to be stretching your limited resources like that?” Darteth asked, mentally counting the plaques on the wall, “You are already struggling enough as is.”

Ferron gave the man a bitter sneer, “Ever the businessman, hm?” He sat up straight, eyes narrowing as he focused on the other man, “You deal in numbers. I deal with people. Resources can be recovered. Lives cannot.”

“How noble.” Darteth commented, his tone a mix of amusement and appreciation, “Perhaps you and your people will be a good investment after all.” 

He grinned as he saw Ferron’s eyes narrow further. If anything, he had to commend the gang leader on his even temper.

“Speaking of our deal… Have you been able to learn about how the Rals have gotten so strong so quickly?” Ferron sat back in his own chair, taking a slow and deep breath to steady his temper.

“Ah! Yes, how silly of me…” Darteth smiled, tapping the side of his head as if he just remembered something semi-important, “My spies were able to dig up quite the tasty nugget of information. It seems the Rals are supported by-”

The Sith fell silent as the office door hissed open and some people rushed inside. Two youngsters who shared Ferron’s jade coloured eyes. Darteth recognized them from his first meeting with Ferron. Adana and Tili. 

Adana was a strong, cunning girl. If she followed in Ferron’s footsteps, she stood a chance of leading the gang herself some day. Tili, however, was different. While steadfast in his values and fairly strong in the Force, the boy had a compassionate heart. Where Adana could make the hard decisions, Tili would often struggle. It was for that reason alone that Ferron dreaded ever having his younger brother fighting on the frontlines. He would much rather Tili remain in the safety of the gang’s hideout or act as support.

Darteth had offered to help teach the boy. Make him less of a worry for Ferron. That offer was immediately and indefinitely shut down. Ferron had made it clear that he would not be handing over anyone to the Sith, especially not his siblings. 

Their deal was that once the Rals were dealt with, Ferron and his gang would assist Darteth as mercenaries on Bothawui and the surrounding planets. Orders would be sent down by Darteth, and Ferron would see to their completion.

The deal was, admittedly, more in Ferron’s favor. He gained access to additional resources, but he also maintained control over his gang. Darteth did not mind this however. If anything, it would make for an interesting experiment. The Sith usually let the captains of his legion have their own share of freedom to do as they sought fit. A little bit of control in their hands helped ensure their cooperation. The only difference between his captains and Ferron was that Ferron and his people did not reside within a territory controlled by Darteth. A slight difference, bit it still gave them an extra degree of separation from the Sith’s influence. It would be interesting to see just how cooperative the Red Blades would be with the Sith’s contract.

“Adana. Tili.” Ferron said with a calm but formal voice, “You know I have a meeting right now.”

“Sorry, brother. Quest and Wrayth say they have some important information about Syra and the Rals.” Adana said in an equally formal tone, “We felt that this should be brought to your attention immediately.”

Darteth grinned politely at Ferron, “Well, partner. I think this is something we should both hear.”

With a slight wave of his hand, Tili darted out of the room to fetch Wrayth and Quest. Adana stayed behind, standing guard by the door. She glanced from the Sith to her brother, locking eyes with him. A silent question passed between them if everything was all right.

Ferron sat up straight, letting his shoulders relax. Everything was fine, just business as usual.

After a few moments, the door hissed open again as Tili led Wrayth and Quest into the office. The pair gave Darteth polite nods before approaching their boss’ desk.

“Quest, how is your aunt?” Ferron asked. 

“Fine, all things considered. Still as angry as ever about Verden, but hey aren’t we all?” Quest replied casually, “It’ll be better once those Rals are gone…” He grinned, “Speaking of the Rals… I think they are getting sloppy.”

Ferron simply arched a brow, “Oh? How so?”

“Verden tried to recruit Syra and her friends to his scheme.” he says with a wry grin.

Syra’s name caught hold of Ferron and his siblings’ attention. Tili’s eyes lit up as he excitedly whispered to his sister that the Grey Jedi wouldn’t fall for Verden’s games. Adana looked a bit doubtful.

“Ah, is that the name of one of the Grey Jedi I saw him talking with earlier?” Darteth mused.

Ferron ignored Darteth and Tili, focusing instead on Quest. He sat forward, arms resting on his desk, “I heard he approached some of the Grey Jedi and they had struck a deal. I must admit I am surprised Syra would throw her lot in with them…”

Adana and Tili both looked disappointed with the news.

“Apparently she wants to try and weaken them during the tournament tomorrow. According to Marana, the Rals plan to kill our people during the matches. Syra wants to try and minimize those losses should any of our people be put into matches with the Rals.” Wrayth explained simply. Despite his even tone, his body was stiff and his eyes held a fury in them.

“She’s hoping that it will come down to her and one of us. If that happens, she’ll throw the match.” Quest said, smiling as Tili’s eyes lit up again. The boy seemed to have a lot of faith in the Grey Jedi.

Darteth clapped his hands together once, grinning contently, “Oh that would just do wonders to their pride.” He looked back at Ferron, “Pardon if I take a little extra pleasure in this, but it will also enrage their own sponsors as well.”

Ferron sat back in his chair, giving the Sith a tired look, “And who is supporting the Deadly Rals? I’m still awaiting your answer.”

Darteth grinned, still basking in the joy of how humiliated the Rals and their sponsors would be. “According to my spies, the Rals have been getting support from the Jedi Council. It seems they aren’t exactly happy to see Dark Jedi congregating like you are.” he stood up, brushing off his robes, “I can confirm the Jedi have sent some Knights to oversee the Rals. They have a base not too far out from the city where they are hiding.”

“We should go after them!” Wrayth growled, teeth clenched and hand resting on his sabre.

There was a faint tremble in his movement. Images flashed through his mind like hot steel. Memories that made his heart hammer and his chest tighten. His home. His parents. The sounds of cries and electric hums. His eyes started to grow distant.

“Calm yourself.” Ferron warned the Zabrak. He gave him a sympathetic look, “I understand your pain, Wrayth, but we can’t just go running after those Jedi. First, we need to deal with the Rals… Then we will figure out what to do about the Jedi.”

Wrayth opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it. There was no point arguing about it now, especially with the Sith present. Doing so would only serve to harm whatever standing Ferron held in the Sith’s eyes. Deep down, Wrayth trusted Ferron. He well and truly did. But he simply could not accept the idea of Jedi being allowed to remain anywhere near his home while also trying to destroy it.

Without another word, he turned and stalked out of the room with Quest at his heels.

Ferron pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed, “Jedi…”

“I thought the Jedi and Sith were not allowed to set up bases on Bothawui.” Adana commented from her spot at the door.

“They aren’t.” Ferron murmured, headache pulsing between his brows.

Bothawui had a long history of neutrality, something that the Grey Guilds fought to maintain. When it came to the Jedi and the Sith, they were welcome to do business as they needed, but waging war and actively going after each other was forbidden. For the most part, the Jedi usually only dealt with Republic trading posts or settlements, while Sith sometimes attempted to build connections with Bothawui’s spy or business networks.

It had been a while since the Jedi and Sith had actually come to conflict on the planet. Ferron just hoped that something could be done before the Jedi came after his gang themselves.


	11. Chapter 9

The arena buzzed with energy as the tournament got under way. Syra and Vailun had already signed in and were seated on the edge of the combat ring. They peered down into the metal pit where the fighters would be competing. Save for the scorch marks and nicks embedded into the metal plates, the pit looked the best it had in a long while. A person could probably see their reflection from the lower level of the seating area. Usually the only time the pit would be this clean was after enough of it had been smashed up.

Col’Dre sat at a table on one of the floors overlooking the arena’s pit, watching as people flooded towards their seats. His eyes narrowed as he watched a robed figure making his way over to where Syra and Vailun were seated. 

He carefully brought his small communicator to his mouth as he whispered, “Company heading your way.”

“We see him.” Vailun’s voice replied from the speaker in his ear.

***

Syra and Vailun barely looked up as the robed figure took a seat beside them. He flipped his hood back, giving the women a pleasant smile as he reclined in his seat.

“Sounds like it is going to be quite the show.” Darteth commented, looking around as the seats gradually began to fill up with excited spectators.

“Potentially.” Syra replied, sparing him a brief glance before focusing back on the pit.

“I wanted to thank you before your match. You and your friends have been most helpful to me.” Darteth spoke pleasantly with a mock honeyed sweetness. Anyone listening would have expected him to reach over and pat their heads like they were children.

Darteth could feel a spark of frustration in Syra. Vailun was holding a steady, unwavering gaze as she tried to read his expression.

“What are you talking about?” Syra glared.

Darteth chuckled, “You wanting to protect your…. Oh what would you call them? Friends? Acquaintances?” He nodded at an area across the pit where Ferron and a few of his gang members were seated. Leaning closer to Syra and Vailun, his voice dropped to a whisper, “I would hate to lose my prospective mercenaries because of some… unexpected interference.”

“You’re looking to hire them?” Vailun asked, ears flicking back.

“Technically we already have a deal. I help them with a… problem… And they do some jobs for my company in this system.” Darteth explained simply.

Syra arched a brow, “Hm. Doing a lot of territory expanding, Mirka. Do the Guilds need to be worried about this?”

Darteth laughed, thoroughly amused, “Oh, you wound me. Trust me, dear Jedi… I have no aims at galactic conquest or anything like that. I am simply looking for business partners.” He wrinkled his nose in thought, “Conquest and domination is so… uncivilized. Real power comes from the almighty credit.”

“So benevolent.” Syra droned, leaning away from the Sith.

“If it makes you feel any better, I have informed the Guild Council about my recruiting ventures.” he offered.

The two Grey Jedi continued to give him wary looks.

He sighed dramatically, “There’s truly no pleasing you, is there? I give my staff good wages. I ensure hours and vacation… They even have a cozy little benefit program now.” He gestured ambivalently, “Happy staff are productive staff, and all that.”

“Do you do that because you care about their needs? Or because you know it puts more credits in your pockets?” Vailun asked, knowing full well what the truth was.

Darteth’s sleazy grin was all the response they needed. He was about to say more when Verden and a handful of Deadly Rals approached.

Verden shot the Sith a sharp look before turning to the Grey Jedi, “Is he giving you trouble?”

Darteth burst out laughing, “You talk as if you could do anything about that.” He grinned darkly as he stood up, facing Verden, “Even if you could… That wouldn’t be worth the risk to you, would it?”

Syra stood up, acting as a barrier between the two men. “I think you’ve had your fun, Mirka. Now, I am going to ask you to leave. Unless you are competing, which I highly doubt someone such as yourself would… Audience seating is three rows back.” She held his gaze firmly.

The Sith arched a brow and pursed his lips. He forced a smile as he spoke, “Well, my dear. Let’s hope you wield your swords half as well as you do your tongue.” He nodded politely at the Deadly Rals before turning to leave, his robes billowing behind him.

Syra sat down and rubbed the back of her neck. “Fuck I hate that man…” she muttered.

“You can’t trust his sort.” Verden glared after the Sith before taking a seat.

Verden glanced around the arena, his eyes skimming over the Dark Jedi on the other side of the pit. His eyes seemed to ghost over the crowd of people, pausing every so often as if he caught a glimpse of something.

“Something you need to tell us?” Syra asked, eyes skimming over the crowd as well.

“Just seeing if any of our friends came to visit.” Verden responded simply, sitting back on the bench. He glanced back over his shoulder to glare at Darteth before looking back at the two Grey Jedi, “They wouldn’t like us… chatting with Sith.”

Vailun laughed heartily, her fur dancing and coiling in amusement, “Oh no. Let me guess, they’d try you for treason and toss you to the real rals?” 

Verden didn’t respond. He simply gave the Bothan a look of caution before folding his hands together. This wasn’t an open point for conversation.

Syra leaned over, propping an elbow on the man’s shoulder as she spoke quietly. “Verden.” She waited until he looked over at her, all she needed was a little bit of eye contact.

The man barely looked up, opting instead for a brief ‘hm’ letting her know he was listening.

She frowned, “Verden. Level with me.” She smirked, a tint of mirth in her voice, “What has you scared?”

He glanced at her sharply, his irritated gaze locking with her own calm one.

It was all Syra needed.

Pushing gently with the Force, she tried to calm his mind and make him more open to conversation. She could feel his shoulder gradually relax under her arm. His hands unknit and rested easily on his knees. Little by little she could see some of the wrinkles in his furrowed brow begin to ease away.

“I get the feeling there’s something you want to tell us. Something about your friends?” she offered, guiding the Force to coax an answer from his mind.

There was a bit of resistance. Verden wasn’t entirely weak minded after all. After a few seconds though he began to speak, much to the surprise of the other Rals.

“We got a sponsorship from the Jedi Council. They found out about the little society of Dark Jedi living in Tsavais and wanted us to get rid of them. If we can do that, then they’ll reward us with whatever we ask for.” He had a dreamy look in his eye at the thought of a reward.

Syra and Vailun exchanged looks. The Jedi Council was very well aware of the fact that Bothawui was a neutral planet. The Grey Guilds would not stand for them pushing their own war efforts within Guild territory.

“Don’t these Jedi know that Bothawui is supposed to be neutral?” Vailun asked, leaning forward so she could whisper to Verden as well.

Verden thought for a moment before shrugging. “No idea.” he answered honestly, “Not that I care really. So long as we get our credits and I can have Ferron’s head on a pike, I don’t care what the Jedi want with each other.”

There was a brief flicker of rage in Syra’s eyes. Vailun placed a hand on her friend’s forearm, gently tapping her teal skin to get the other woman’s attention.

It seemed like Syra’s reaction had been picked up by a few other people in the crowd. Darteth was watching silently, looking more curious than anything else. Across the pit, however, Ferron and his gang members were all watching Syra very closely.

Syra leaned away, nodding thoughtfully. She took a slow, deep breath as she tried to calm her mind. Now was not the time to be reactive.

“Those fuckers…” Col’Dre’s voice hissed in her ear.

“Mh.” was her response.

Overhead a screen lit up with images of the competitors. The computer system had randomly assigned opponents. It looked as if both the Red Blades and Deadly Rals had four members competing.

And oh how unfortunate their matches were… For the Deadly Rals that is.

Verden frowned when he saw two of his own people were fighting Syra and Vailun. This was not something he’d been planning for. He folded his hands together, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his knuckles against his lips. He needed to rethink some plans, and quickly.


	12. Chapter 10

Vailun’s match with one of the Deadly Rals went about as well as Syra had been expecting it to go. The Ral, an impressively strong looking Human woman, had managed to keep Vailun at a safe distance with her pike for a time. 

Vailun had managed to grab hold of the pike, wrestling it free from the woman’s grasp with a minimal effort, and tossing it aside like a twig. The Human was stunned for a brief moment before taking a swing at the Bothan, her fist just missing the other’s cheek. 

The Ral woman landed a few punches, but Vailun didn’t look too fazed by them. It wasn’t a surprise to Syra or Col’Dre really. They’d seen Vailun take on bigger, more intimidating enemies and still come back for more.

It came down to Vailun’s ability to block out the pain, a trick she’d learned as a Padawan. It required a great deal of focus, especially when she was actively fighting an opponent. It was a marvel to behold, watching Vailun as she moved about the combat area with a calculated grace. Every now and then you could see a slight shift in the Bothan’s eyes or a flick of her ear as she studied her opponent.

Vailun’s method of fighting was simple. Find out the enemy’s weak point and use it to your advantage. For example, you have an opponent who is larger and stronger than you? Use their weight against them. Throw off their centre of balance. You have a quick and agile opponent running circles around you? Wear them out.

The Ral standing before Vailun was strong and fast. Though she seemed keen on keeping a distance between her and Vailun. Even fighting hand to hand, she tended to lunge in for a quick strike and then dodge back before Vailun could retaliate.

Vailun left her guard open, baiting the woman in for another attack. The moment the woman was within reach, Vailun grabbed her, lifting her up before dropping her on the ground. She managed to grab the woman’s arm, wrenching it behind her back and pinning her in place.

There was a yelp as the woman’s shoulder threatened to pop out of its socket. The Ral tapped the metal floor in a jittery, frantic motion signalling that she gave up.

The Bothan released the woman’s arm and backed away, giving her opponent space to collect herself.

***

Verden cursed under his breath as the Ral woman’s face dimmed on the overhead screen. In the ring he could see her holding her shoulder and trying to massage a sore spot. He silently hoped she still had some use in it for when they went after the Red Blades later.

“Credit for your thoughts?” Syra asked, glancing over at Verden from the corner of her eye.

There was a moment of silence before Verden spoke up, his voice guarded. “Your friend is an impressive fighter.” he noted. There was another pause of uneasy silence. “Might I make a suggestion?”

“Such as…?”

“Please remember that you are working  **with** us. I do not need you taking my people out of commission.” he stated firmly.

Syra nodded her head slowly. Her voice held a glint of sarcasm in it, “Would you rather we throw our matches?”

Verden looked at her to see if she was serious. Her look of curiosity and minor annoyance said otherwise. He growled something under his breath, his words drowned out as new combatants entered the pit. Ferron and a Rhodian.

“I will need everyone I can possibly have for after the match.” he said quietly.

Her interest was piqued as she turned to face him. “After the match?”

“I want to get Ferron and his group while they are weak. If we can take out their leader, then the Red Blades will be easier to deal with.” 

There was a malicious glee in his smile. The kind that caused Syra’s hairs to stand on end.

Her voice was steady as she spoke, “What about the spectators? They could get caught up in the fight.”

He gave her a questioning look, “Having second thoughts?”

“We protect civilians.” She hissed.

“Then aim carefully.” 

The fury that rolled off of Syra caused Vailun to freeze as she approached her seat. There was a brief flicker of fear in her eyes before she sat down, shoulder bumping against Syra’s.

_ Talk to me. What happened? _ Vailun’s voice broke through the rage in Syra’s mind.

***

Col’Dre pressed his knuckles against his forehead, cursing in his mother tongue as he listened to Verden through Syra’s earpiece. He pulled a small rectangular pad from his pocket and started typing out a message for Veteran Hendril. He needed to inform the Veteran and the Guild Council about what the Deadly Rals were planning to do.

The Grey Guilds tried to avoid getting involved in Jedi affairs, but they had full authority to step in when civilians were being put at risk. Some Grey Jedi used this power to intervene in situations where Dark Jedi were being hunted by the Jedi Council. It was one of the reasons why the Jedi Council preferred to keep the Grey Guilds at arm's length. Not to say that the Jedi Council was fond of them to begin with.

Being a Grey Jedi already put you on shaky ground when dealing with the Jedi Council and its members… and that shaky ground seemed to be crumbling away bit by bit.

The fact that they supposedly had Jedi on Bothawui supporting gang violence was already a major slap in the face for the Guilds. If they were permitting their ‘associates’ to do whatever they pleased in order to wipe out Dark Jedi…

Col’Dre groaned as he sent off the message. These bastards were close to starting a war with the Grey Guilds at this rate. What could have been going through the Jedi Council’s minds to take this kind of risk?

The Zelosian looked up when he sensed two figures approaching his table. He gave Adana and Tili a weary smile.

“Hey, what are you two doing here?” he asked.

“Watching our brother fight.” Adana said as she nodded down at the pit, “And we also wanted to see you Grey Jedi in action.”

Tili beamed, “Vailun was so cool! She lifted that Ral like it was nothing!”

Col’Dre chuckled softly, “Yeah, it’s cool watching her fight…” He glanced down at the pit and cleared his throat, “You’re brother…?”

“Is Ferron. Yeah.” Adana replied simply, taking a seat at the table. 

She watched as her brother disarmed the Rhodian. The small, green fellow attempted to charge at Ferron, knife in hand to try and slice at the man’s torso. Ferron lifted up his sabre, bringing the pommel down hard on the back of the Rhodian’s head. The Rhodian staggered forward before collapsing on the metal floor.

The Rhodian’s face dimmed on the overhead screen. The next match was going to be Syra and another Deadly Ral. A vicious looking Barabel. 

Tili leaned across the table to watch as Syra and the Barabel moved towards the pit. He bit his lip and furrowed his brow. He’d seen Barabels a few times in the past when they came through Ferron’s territory. They were big. They were mean. And their thick hides made it difficult to do real damage.

Col’Dre cupped a hand over the boy’s shoulder, “Don’t worry. Syra’s got this.”

Tili looked rather uncertain as he peered down into the pit. Adana, on the other hand, watched with silent observation as the duo entered the combat area.

Col’Dre paused when he felt someone watching him. Instinctively, his eyes flickered down to Verden, his emerald green eyes meeting with the Human’s. Verden was watching him and the siblings intently.

Slowly looking back at the pit, Col’Dre thought about how he was going to talk to the siblings about what he’d just learned.

As it turned out, he wouldn’t need to open that conversation at all.

“I don’t like how that scumbag is watching us.” Adana stated simply, eyes not leaving the pit, “Any idea what he is planning?”

“He wants to attack your brother after the match. He’s hoping to get him when he and the others are weak… Then he’s going after the rest of your gang.” Col’Dre responded honestly. He nudged his comm pad towards her so she could see the message he’d sent to Veteran Hendril.

Tili paled and his throat became tight. His voice was barely more than a whisper as he tried to speak, “What do we do…?”

“For now, you need to stay safe.” Col’Dre replied, eyes fixed on the pit as he tried to ignore Verden’s watchful gaze, “We need to wait and see what the Veteran and Counselors have to say.”

“We should get back to Ferron-” Tili began.

“No.” Col’Dre said quickly, his eyes snapping up to Tili’s. “I don’t know if Verden’s got more people lurking about. Stay here. I can protect you that way.”

“What about Ferron?”

“He will be okay. In fact, I think it would be better for him if you two were kept as far from the potential fighting as possible.”

Tili looked at his sister to see what she thought of the request. 

Her fingers tapped on the edge of the table as she thought. She glanced down at Ferron, who was watching her closely from his own seat.

Col’Dre waited patiently as a silent conversation passed between Adana and Ferron. It wasn’t until Ferron looked away that Adana spoke up.

She watched the pit where Syra and the Barabel had begun their fight, “Ferron sends his thanks.” She smirked, “Keep it up and we might make you honorary members of our gang.”

“You sure you want some pesky Grey Jedi skulking about your territory?” Col’Dre asked with a laugh.

“Better than some underhanded Jedi who can’t bother getting their own hands dirty.”

Adana tapped her fingers against the top of the table as she thought. 

“Can I get an honest answer?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“The Guilds are supposed to be neutral… And yet the Jedi Council has decided to test that neutrality. They have invaded your territory and are seeking to push their own agenda despite the rules the Guilds have set up.”

“Correct.”

“What do you plan on doing about this?”

Col’Dre fell silent for a moment. “I cannot speak for the Guild Council unfortunately…”

“But what about  **you** ? Your team?”

Col’Dre let out a small snort of a laugh. He pocketed his comm pad as he looked down at Syra, “We will do what we always do. Help those in need.”

“Even if it means standing against the Jedi?”

There was a flash of something somber in Col’Dre’s eyes as he continued to watch Syra. His voice grew quiet, “Some of us have been standing against them for a long time already.”

Adana arched a brow, “Oh?”

“...That’s not really my story to tell.” he said softly.

Adana followed his gaze down to Syra. She nodded slightly. “Fair.”


	13. Chapter 11

Syra kept a steady gaze on her opponent as the match began. A bell rang out and the Barabel had lunged forward trying to knock her off centre. She swiped at him with her vibrodagger, just missing his shoulder as he shot past.

Her opponent moved like lightning. Fast and with deadly precision. Syra pivoted, circling around as she tried to keep track of her opponent as he ran around her trying to find an opening. She grinned as an idea came to mind.

As the Barabel rushed towards her, his own knife in hand, Syra focused on the space around her. The light catching her armor and the vibroblade on her back, the sound of her feet as they shifted on the metal floor. 

The Barabel was almost upon her, dagger raised and ready to strike, when she vanished like smoke in the wind. Slamming into the wall, he looked around the ring. His nostrils flared as he tried to catch Syra’s scent.

Syra, cloaked by the Force, had just managed to dodge out of the way before the Barabel hit her. She slowly rose to her feet, focusing on the Force that surrounded her. It was not easy for her to maintain the ability, but she managed.

She glanced up, allowing herself a brief moment of satisfaction as she took in the stunned expressions of the Red Blades and the Deadly Rals. Vailun sat back, casually nodding with her own controlled smirk. It’d been a while since she’d seen Syra use that trick.

A snarl of rage brought Syra’s focus back into the ring. The Barabel had caught her scent and was charging directly at her. Once he was in arms reach, she grabbed his head and shoulder while kicking one of his legs out from under him. Using the male’s momentum, she tossed him to the floor. The impact rang out, bouncing off the metal walls.

It took a moment before the Barabel staggered to his feet, a vicious snarl tearing from his throat and tapering into a low hiss. His nostrils flared as he locked back onto Syra, sharp teeth flashing in the bright light.

He charged forward again, but stopped just before reaching her. He twisted around, using his tail as a club and sending her flying into the far wall. She slumped forward as she slid to the floor.

The moment Syra hit the metal wall, the cloak gave way, leaving her visible to her opponent again. Her dagger dropped just out of reach. She blinked, trying to focus and clear her dazed mind. In her periphery she could see the Barabel charging at her, dagger and claws at the ready.

Raising a hand up, she focused the Force in the palm of her hand, creating a bright spark of light. The flash stunned the Barabel, giving Syra the chance to land a solid kick to her opponent’s knee. She could feel the knee pop out of place as he cried out.

She rolled to her feet, grabbing her dagger as she stood up and pressed it to the Barabel’s throat.

There was a few seconds of silence as the Ral’s vision returned. He shot a spiteful look at Syra before glancing past her to Verden. The Ral leader simply shook his head once.

The Barabel hissed in displeasure. His eyes still locked onto Syra’s. He raised his dagger and released it, letting it hit the floor with a clang. Once Syra moved her sword away from his throat, he stood up and limped towards the exit.

***

Verden cursed under his breath as he watched his fellow Ral. He doubted the Grey Jedi would have actually killed his fighter, but he couldn’t afford to have him injured further. The Barabel moved with a limp, his knee causing him noticeable discomfort.

These Grey Jedi were far more trouble than they were worth…

He glanced back up at the upper level of the arena where he spotted Col’Dre with Ferron’s kid siblings.

His blood boiled as he began to wonder if the Grey Jedi were working with the Red Blades.

It wasn’t likely… Or so he had thought. Surely the Grey Jedi were no more favorable towards Dark Jedi than your standard Jedi was.

Still his doubt lingered.

An idea struck him. A way to kill two beasts with one well placed shot.

***

Syra and the Ral returned to their seats on opposite sides of Verden.

“You Jedi are vicious, aren’t you?” Verden asked, adding a tint of admiration to his tone, “Where did you learn those tricks?”

Vailun’s eyes flicked to Syra, watching her friend carefully.

Syra simply shrugged, “A little from Coruscant, a little from the Guilds.”

“Ah! So you were under the Jedi Council for a time?”

“For a time. Yes.”

Verden chuckled, “What? Were they too straightlaced for you?” He watched as a new match began in the pit. “They seem rather stuck up… They pay well at least.”

Syra shrugged, “Some are… Not all though. I know some decent Jedi.”

“So, why leave?”

“Personal reasons.”

Verden dropped his voice to a whisper, “Don’t tell me you are some runaway from the Order.”

“How dare-” Vailun began, eyes narrowed and fangs bared.

Syra placed a hand on her friend’s forearm. She looked at Verden with sharp eyes, “Is there a reason for this? Or are you so upset that we’ve beaten two of your Rals that you want to throw around insults?”

Verden gave her a curious look before vaguely gesturing up at where Col’Dre was sitting. “I thought you Grey Jedi weren’t friendly with Dark Jedi.”

Syra and Vailun could hear Col’Dre curse in their ears. The pair looked up and noticed that Adana and Tili were sitting with Col’Dre watching the latest match.

Syra looked back at Verden with a level expression, “We aren’t.”

Not entirely a lie.

“Then why are those Red Blade brats being so chummy with your friend?” The tone of his voice became sharper.

The two Rals beside Verden tensed. They watched the two Grey Jedi closely, their hands moving towards their weapons.

“Those two aren’t Red Blades.” Syra clarified.

“They will be though.”

“But they aren’t right now.”

“They are still Dark Jedi.”

Syra was silent. Her tongue held back behind clenched teeth.

Verden watched her patiently before leaning forward in his seat. “You aren’t friends with the Dark Jedi, correct?”

“We are not friends of anyone who seeks to harm innocents or impose themselves on others.” Syra replied.

Verden nodded slowly as he processed her response, “Those two… kids. They seem to trust you.”

Syra tensed, her fingers that had been gently resting on Vailun’s arm curled slightly. It wasn’t enough to cause any kind of discomfort, more like a twitch that told Vailun something was very wrong.

“If you asked them to join you after the tournament… I am sure we could lure Ferron out into the open-”

“Absolutely not.” Syra cut him off, “We will not endanger them.”

“I never said we’d harm them.” Verden bristled defensively.

Syra’s voice was dark as she spoke, eyes staring deeply into Verden’s. “Well… Accidents happen… Don’t they?”

He let out a small laugh through his nose. She wasn’t wrong.

“They are Dark Jedi. The Council will want them dealt with regardless.”

“They are  **children** .” she hissed.

“How about this…” Verden leaned towards her, “Maybe you can persuade those two into joining the Order? You Jedi have those mind game things, right? Just work your magic and…  **convince** them to join you.” He held out his hand, “If they aren’t against us, then we won’t have to worry about them.”

Syra stood up, jaw aching from tension and fingers curled into fists at her sides. Every muscle in her body was rigid as she fought back the urge to throw the Deadly Ral leader across the seating area.

Her voice was tight with restrained fury, “I need to prepare for my next match.”

She turned away and walked towards the stairs. With every step she fought the bubbling urge to strike at the Rals. To send them flying. To challenge them to a fight right then and there.

Vailun excused herself to follow Syra.

Verden simply shrugged in response, “Try to talk some sense into her. Will you?”

Vailun ignored to comment. They weren’t worth a response of any kind. Within a few steps, Vailun was right behind her friend. She said nothing as they walked. She could see Syra’s eyes flickering slightly as if she was deep in thought.

“We need Kwa-Shaan and Hendril.” Syra said through gritted teeth.

Vailun nodded, “I will inform them immediately. What about Adana and Tili?”

“Col’Dre can handle them.” Syra said, a soft hum of affirmation from Col’Dre buzzing in her ear.

“Stay safe. I’ll loop around the arena and find a place to call the Guild Council.”

Syra nodded in response but remained silent. She was furious about the entire situation. It was irritating enough when the issue simply involved two rival gangs. Usually those conflicts remained between the gangs and did not drag the everyday civilian into them. This was something far beyond the scope of Syra and her group however.

The Jedi Council was stirring up trouble and blatantly disregarding the rules of the Grey Guilds. The trio were going to need the Grey Council’s help to deal with this fallout. For now, all that Syra and her friends could do was minimize whatever damage they could.


	14. Chapter 12

As Syra stepped through the doors leading down into the waiting area for the pit, she tried to focus on the Red Blades. Once the door shut behind her, she leaned against the cool metal wall and let her mind wander.

There were only a few Force sensitive individuals in the arena. The Grey Jedi, the Red Blades and Darteth. The Force surrounding each of them had subtle nuances that helped differentiate the individual. An experienced Jedi could use that to keep track of allies and enemies.

Syra relaxed her mind as she reached out with the Force, trying to connect with Ferron. The first pool of Force her mind came across flashed in her mind like a small camping fire. Bright, warm, strong, yet calm and contained. Occasional sparks popping forth as something was putting the person’s mind on edge. She could feel the presence moving closer, the gentle thumping of boots catching in her ears. 

Wrayth slowly approached Syra, watching her closely as she leaned against the metal wall with furrowed brows. He opened his mouth to speak and started to reach out with a hand to gently tap her shoulder.

In Syra’s mind she could sense an ember leaping from the fire and gently floating over to her. She calmly raised her hand, stopping the ember, and Wrayth’s hand. The ember pulled back slightly, the fire stretching up curiously.

She reached out slowly as her mind touched the ember, her own fingertips gently catching Wrayth’s wrist. She slowly guided his hand to her shoulder, feeling him tense as he connected with her mind.

Images and sounds flooded from Syra’s mind and into Wrayth’s, sending the Force that surrounded him into chaos. The fury, still alive in her mind like a violent wind, whipping up the calm flames. The fire grew stronger and angrier as Wrayth processed Syra’s thoughts. The Jedi Council and their games with the Deadly Rals... It was Verden’s threat to Adana and Tili that pushed him over the edge though.

Syra flinched against the raging fire of Wrayth’s Force, trying to surround and calm it. 

Her hand gripped his wrist, trying to anchor him to something physical as her voice called out, like a gust of wind.

_ Wrayth! _

The fire seemed to flinch, buffeted slightly by her voice.

His arm moved slowly as he took a deep breath. Slowly, the fire shrank down into something more controlled. Still violently, fiercely alive, but more controlled.

_ Guide me to Ferron. _

There was a moment of quiet before Wrayth’s energy guided Syra’s towards Ferron.

Ferron’s energy was… cool. Not icy cold, but like a cool spring. Frost lacing the top layer while the waters churned and swirled beneath. As the warm air current of Syra and Wrayth approached, she could feel an icy barrier go up. It was brief as he tried to identify who was approaching his mind. Slowly, the ice melted away and gave Syra access.

_ Ferron. It’s Syra. _ Her voice whispered in his mind.

_ What’s going on? _ He asked, the current of his mind swirling as he sensed the fury and fear in her.

_ Verden wants to use Adana and Tili to lure you out. Col’Dre is with them. He will get them to safety the moment trouble strikes. _

There was a sharp movement from the pool of Ferron’s mind, like a tidal wave. Spikes of ice shot up from the waves.

_ Vailun is getting the Guild Council. Just keep yourself and your friends safe. _

She could feel part of Ferron’s mind already reaching out to someone, most likely his siblings.

Her voice pressed again, like a gust of wind over a tundra.  _ We will keep them safe. You have my word. _

There was an emptiness that filled the space between them. It stretched out for a few breaths before a wisp of coolness brushed against Syra’s mind.

_ Thank you _ .

Syra pulled away, her mind snapping back to her body like a rubber band being let go. She sucked in a breath as she opened her eyes.

She met Wrayth’s eyes. He was furious. He was livid. He wanted nothing more than to march out there and rend Verden and his crew… But he was also surprised. He started to speak, mouth hanging open for a second before shutting again.

She gently squeezed his wrist. “It will be okay.”

He said nothing. His eyes were distant and distracted. His brow furrowed as something painful darted through his memories. He simply squeezed her shoulder in return.

***

Verden sat quietly as he watched the match come to an end. Vailun was nowhere in sight. Across the pit he could see Ferron whisper to a Twi’Lek. The Twi’Lek looked visibly shocked for a moment before getting up and leaving.

Verden nodded his head slightly, a barely visible movement, “Now.”

The two Rals stood up and started to move towards the stairs.

“Wait.”

They paused to look at him.

“Get rid of the two in the ring first.”

The two Rals grinned contently as they turned and walked away. Happy to comply.


	15. Chapter 13

The Deadly Rals and Red Blades peered down into the pit, tension building in the air as they watched Syra and Wrayth. The pair stood on opposite sides of the pit as they waited for the bell to sound.

The two combatants were hyper aware of their surroundings as they readied themselves for the fight. The insistent din of the crowd. The eyes watching from every angle. The looming tension. And the two missing Rals.

Wrayth grabbed his lightsaber from his belt, bringing it to life with a flick of his wrist. The orange light from the blade lit up the floor around the Zabrak before it was swung up into a readied position.

Syra met his gaze before readying her vibroblade and dagger. She eyed his lightsaber curiously. Usually he used a longer blade. He never really struck her as a dagger kind of fighter. She shook off the thought. She had to focus. All she had to do was keep the fight going long enough for Hendril and the others to arrive and deal with the Deadly Rals themselves.

If that was even possible.

Syra’s eyes flickered as concerns darted through her mind.

What if the Jedi intervened?

Where were those other Rals?

Would Col’Dre and the siblings be okay if things went badly?

How long would it take for Hendril and the other Guild Leaders to arrive?

What if she couldn’t protect them?

What if she had to see more Force users suffer?

The sharp chime of the bell startled Syra from her thoughts, making her flinch slightly. The reaction did not go unnoticed by Wrayth.

He rushed forward, a loud battlecry booming from his chest to draw Syra’s attention. He swung wide which gave her ample time to block. He gave a faint nod of his head and a slow blink before jumping back.

Syra blocked his next swing with her vibroblade before pivoting and taking a swipe at his torso with her dagger. Her dagger just caught the edge of his shirt when his hand clamped down around her wrist. He managed to lift her slightly off the ground before tossing her away.

She hit the ground and rolled to her feet before vanishing from sight, hidden again by the Force. There was a brief look of surprise on Wrayth’s face before he began muttering under his breath. 

Syra watched as he slowly backed up against the wall. Now if she wanted to try and surprise him, she’d have to do it head on.

Unless…

Her eyes flickered to a loose floor panel. She carefully reached out with her mind and gave the panel a tug, grinning as it shifted free. She tightened her fist before flinging it towards Wrayth, sending the thick metal sheet hurling in his direction.

As the Zabrak dodged out of the way, she managed to sneak behind him and knock his feet out from under him.

He hit the ground with a growl, flipping onto his back so he could try and face his opponent. He brought his dagger up into a defensive pose, eyes trying to look for any sign of Syra.

He took in a slow breath and tried to focus on her Force energy. It wasn’t that hard. Maybe it was because he’d been in contact with it less than fifteen minutes before. Regardless, he was able to lock onto her as she approached. He could practically track her movements now.

Five steps away.

He shifted his grip on his lightsaber.

Four steps.

He propped himself up, pretending to look around the pit.

Three steps.

He pulled himself onto one knee, lightsaber held up defensively at chest level.

Two steps.

His thumb swiped across the modified sensor just under the hilt of his blade.

There was a brief flicker of light before his lightsaber swapped from a mere dagger to a long blade.

Syra yelped as she jumped back, the lightsaber pointing directly at her now. She wondered for a moment how he’d managed that trick. Or how he’d even known where she was. She met his gaze and found him smiling casually.

“Son of a bitch.” 

He chuckled, dusting himself off as he rose to his feet. “Aw, did I startle you?” he gestured at her with the weapon, making tiny circles with its point.

“That’s a dirty trick.” Syra commented, almost sounding impressed as she eyed the lightsaber carefully. It seemed like Quest had been doing some modifications in his spare time.

“Says the one who threw a piece of the arena at me.” Wrayth tutted, “What next? Are you going to throw sand in my eyes?”

“Hm, now that is an idea.” she mused.

Wrayth laughed, both surprised and genuinely amused.

He noticed the sheet of metal shifting off the ground again. He twitched his fingers towards the metal floor, sparks of energy jolting forth and dancing across the ground towards Syra.

She yelped as the energy coursed through her. It sent her staggering backwards a few paces, startling her more than actually hurting. Harm wasn’t the intention behind it though.

The shock of the electricity broke Syra’s focus, causing both the sheet of metal and her cloak of Force energy to fall.

She raised her blades, ready to charge back in when Col’Dre called out in her mind.

_ Above you! _

Her eyes flicked upwards, spotting the Ral woman from earlier. She had a gun aimed squarely at Wrayth’s head. A short distance away the Barabel was crouching on a metal beam, aiming his own gun at her.

Wrayth followed her eyes as her step faltered, spying to two Rals above them.

Instinctively Syra and Wrayth’s hands thrust out, sending a wave of Force energy out to knock each other backwards.

Two shots rang out, embedding two bullets in the floor of the arena.

There was a pause as the arena’s spectators looked up. And then hell broke loose.

Ferron’s hand shot out, pushing the Barabel from his perch before ordering the other Red Blades to fall back.

Verden was instantly on his feet and making a hasty retreat with the other Deadly Rals who’d accompanied him.

Syra and Wrayth dove into the safety of the waiting area that connected with the pit.

“Col! Get them out of here!” Syra called out. She could already hear him instructing the two siblings to stay close as they made a mad dash for the exit.

Wrayth was already rushing towards the door when Syra caught up to him.

“I’ll go after Verden!” She said, slipping past him as he slammed open the door.

Wrayth grit his teeth. He wanted nothing more than to hunt down Verden himself. He glanced back at where his teammates had been sitting and tensed. They could be in danger too.

He resigned, glancing back at Syra and wishing her luck before taking off in the other direction to find the others.

***

Vailun had been standing outside the arena when Hendril, Kwa-Shaan, and a few other Guild Leaders arrived.

Hendril’s fur curled and twitched in apprehension as he approached the arena. He raised a hand, calling everyone to a halt as his ear flicked. Something was wrong.

Kwa-Shaan, the Rishii Guild Leader, started to ask what was the matter when the doors of the arena flung open and spectators poured out.

From the crowd they spotted Col’Dre leading two youngsters and a Twi’Lek from the fray. Kwa-Shaan took to the air, landing beside Col’Dre and asking what had just happened.

“Two of the Rals tried to shoot Syra and Wrayth. I lost sight of them. Syra told me to get the kids out of here.” He said quickly before letting the crowd sweep him and the others away. It was best to leave now before the Deadly Rals came looking.

***

Syra spotted the Deadly Rals as they made their way around the edge of the arena towards where the Red Blades had previously been. They were already half way through the bar which was now empty. She could see Verden directing a couple of the Rals towards the stair that led up to where Col’Dre and the siblings had been sitting.

Reaching out with the Force, she sent out a wave of energy that sent some of the chairs and tables flying. The Deadly Rals all reeled backwards as their paths were blocked.

She ran towards the bar, skidding around the corner so she could face them. She reached out with her two hands, pushing out another wave of Force energy and knocking the Deadly Rals over the bar’s counter, tables, or into the wall depending on what they happened to be nearest to.

She started to stalk towards Verden when she felt a barrel press to her back.

“Don’t. Move.” the Ral woman hissed from behind Syra.

Syra lowered her hands. 

“Put the gun down.” Her voice was calm and commanding.

Verden laughed, “Sorry sweetheart, but you're not the one giving orders here.” He grinned darkly, “Me on the other hand…”

He started to nod at the woman behind Syra.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment as Syra’s reflexes went into overdrive. Feeling the Force coursing through her body, she moved like lightning. She’d already spun away from the barrel of the gun as the woman fired.

She could see the dawning shock on the woman’s face as she drove her dagger into the Ral’s hand. She then swung around and caught the woman in a choke hold, her dagger pressed gently against her enemy’s neck.

Within the amount of time it took Verden to blink, the laser from the Ral’s gun zipped past his body and the woman was incapacitated. He watched as she struggled against Syra’s grip.

Verden’s eyes shifted from the blade pressed against the Ral’s throat and back up to Syra again. Around him the other gang members were pulling themselves to their feet. He simply chuckled, gesturing dismissively at Syra, “What? You think this gives you some advantage?”

“You and your scoundrels. Drop your weapons. You are now under the custody of the Grey Guilds.” Syra seethed, keeping her knife pressed against the woman’s throat.

“You expect me to just give up because you have one insignificant captive?” He shook his head and snapped his fingers, motioning for some of the Deadly Rals to move towards the bar’s other exit. “Go ahead. I have plenty of other moves to make.”

A small handful of Deadly Rals, men and women alike, cast hesitant glances at Verden and the woman in Syra’s grasp. Wordlessly, they simply followed his silent instruction. They clambered over the tables and chairs before darting off towards one of the emergency exits.

There was nothing Syra could do to stop them. If she released the Ral in her grasp, she risked putting herself in danger.

“You won’t kill her.” Verden’s voice snapped her back into focus, “You don’t have the taste for it.” His tone was almost disappointed.

“I don’t need to kill to do my job.” Syra commented simply, a little tug of energy flickering in her mind. From the corner of her eye she could see a shadow moving.

She released the woman, who fell to her knees gasping for air.

Opening her arms wide, she grinned mockingly at Verden and his goons. “In fact, you wouldn’t even be able to harm if you tried. Here, I’ll make it fair for you.” She dropped her knife and held her hands behind her back.

Verden raised his gun and pointed it at her chest, “You think you’re smart, don’t you? Let’s see how smug you are with a couple of holes burned in you!”

She chuckled coldly, “Smart? Maybe. Smarter than you, that’s for sure. Nah, I just needed you to be distracted for oh say… five seconds.”

“Wha-?” Verden began, his words cut short as a winged figure descended upon him and pinned him to the floor.

Hendril, Vailun, and a couple other figures draped in robes of various shades of grey emerged from the shadows to surround the remaining Deadly Rals.

Hendril shook his head as the Deadly Rals were apprehended, “Syra, was that really necessary?”

“It worked didn’t it?” She offered with a casual and content smile, “Besides, you just needed an opening to nab these bastards.”

Kwa-Shaan, who was pulling Verden to his feet, smirked, “She isn’t wrong.”

Hendril gave the Rishii a withering look, “Of course you’d think that was just a splendid move.”

“Well yes! I taught her that trick.” Kwa-Shaan said proudly, feathers fluffing up a bit as he slapped some cuffs on Verden’s wrists.

Syra stepped aside as the Guild Leaders began to move the Deadly Rals towards the exit. She placed a hand on Vailun’s arm, “Vai. Did you see Col’Dre and the kids?”

“Col and Quest were taking them to the apartment.” Vailun replied, “I saw those other Rals running off… I don’t think they’ll be able to track Col and them back home, but we should move quickly just to be safe.”

“Shouldn’t we go after those other bastards?” 

Vailun shook her head, “Kwa-Shaan and Hendril are going to get information from Verden and the others… We’ll let the others go for now. Let them send a message to their Jedi friends that they’ve been found out… If the Red Blades don’t kill them first that is.” She glanced back at the pit’s seating area where Ferron and his team had previously been. She shook her head, “Come on. Let’s go.”

Syra nodded and followed beside her friend as they raced from the arena and back home. As they moved through the back streets they kept an eye on the shadows for any suspicious figures. Thankfully they ran into no issues as they approached their apartment complex. It looked like everything was in the clear.


	16. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE (May 15 2020): 
> 
> Hello all! I hope you have been enjoying The Force Unknown so far!
> 
> I have decided that I will be putting the story on hold for a little bit while I update and revise my work so far (Both for Across the Veil and The Force Unknown).   
> I have been going over my work and I would like to work on improving it before I continue on with my current project. I feel that at the moment I have been trying to just keep up with my deadlines for posting chapters and have let the quality of my writing slip because of that.  
> I want the stories I share with you all to be the best they can be.
> 
> I thank you all so much for your time and patience, and I look forward to returning with even better work in the near future!
> 
> If you would like to see some of my extra work in the meantime, please feel free to follow me on twitter (link is on my carrd which you can find on my profile!)
> 
> Thank you so much and take care,
> 
> Pat Auctor

Inside the apartment Adana was quietly watching Quest as he tried to contact Ferron and the others at the communication terminal. She had been somewhat impressed by the apartment when they had all arrived. It was a little larger than what you got in the lower levels. Standard two bedrooms. Nicely furnished but not too lavish. The couches were cushy and plush, and the television looked like a newer model. Even the kitchen had some more recent items in it. Aside from that though, the decor was fairly basic.

It was far too open and accessible for her liking though. On the lower levels you could more easily monitor the walkways leading to your home or the main base of operation. It was easier to track movement or at least anticipate movement. The mid level of the city was more... lively. The streets were thronged with people and the security personnel dotted various intersections. It gave you a decent amount of access to the upper and lower levels in equal measures, but it left you far too visible if you wanted to maintain a low profile.

Tili had been completely enamored by the view and the bustle of people. He had wanted to peer out the window and get a better look around, but Col'Dre suggested he keep away from the windows for the time being. The Zelosian had kept the windows set to a darkened state as if it were the middle of the night. They had no way of knowing if someone was watching the apartment, and he was not about to take any chances. Neither Adana nor Quest had any arguments with that.

Unable to marvel at the outside, Tili occupied himself with wandering around the living room area. A tall cabinet was set against the wall beside the television. It held a variety of photos and mementos from the Grey Jedi's various missions and adventures.

The top shelf held photos of the trio, one dated a few years ago. Kwa-Shaan and Hendril were with them. The Rishii had a proud smile on his face while Hendril looked more reserved. A book of the Grey Jedi code was carefully set against the side of the shelf.

The next shelf down appeared to be Vailun's. She had a photo of her family and friends from her hometown, all smiling and proud. A well worn set of fingerless gloves sat front and center. The fabric at the knuckles was frayed from years of training.

Col'Dre's shelf also had a picture of his family, along with various other pictures of past projects he had worked on. One of the oldest photos showed a little Col'Dre helping his father work on a small craft.

Syra's shelf held a variety of photos of her training with Kwa-Shaan and on missions with her two friends. Behind those photos were two objects that caught Tili's attention. A lightsaber and a photo of Syra standing outside the Jedi Temple with a tall human male who shared her pale teal skin.

"Syra has a brother?" Tili asked, glancing over his shoulder to where Col'Dre was sitting.

There was a pause as the room filled with silence. The Zelosian tugged at the hem of his sleeve, a gesture that did not escape any of the Red Blades.

"Yes." Col'Dre replied after a moment, "She does."

As if on cue the door to the apartment hissed opened, revealing Syra and Vailun. The two women looked relieved as their eyes skimmed over everyone in the apartment. They all looked safe and unharmed.

"Thank the stars." Syra breathed, "Did you have any trouble getting here?"

"None at all." Col'Dre offered her a calm smile, "How about you?"

"Nah, seems like those Ral bastards ran off. Well... The ones that didn't get nabbed by Kwa-Shaan and the others." Syra grinned, "They'll be having a little... chat with Verden and his lot."

"Any word from Ferron or Wrayth?" Vailun asked, walking over to the terminal where Quest was.

The Twi'Lek shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh. "Nothing yet..."

Syra took a seat on the couch across from Adana. She nodded at the two siblings in turn, "I am sure your brother is safe and we'll hear from him soon."

Adana nodded silently.

Col'Dre cleared his throat as he gestured at the cabinet, "We were just talking about some of the photos we have."

Syra's lip tugged into a flat line for a moment. It'd been a while since she'd given her shelf a good look over.

"See anything interesting?"

"Tili noticed you have a brother." Adana stated simply.

"And a lightsaber! I didn't know you used one! What colour is it? I bet it's yellow." Tili grinned excitedly.

Syra let out a small, awkward chuckle. "I don't use it anymore. And it has a blue crystal."

"I thought you were allowed to keep one if you leave the Jedi Order." Adana pointed out. She wasn't wrong.

Syra rubbed the back of her neck, "It was a parting gift. My brother managed to convince the others to let me keep one of my lightsabers when I left."

She noticed the inquisitive look Adana was giving her. The girl's eyes holding steady on her as if waiting for her to say more. Syra had to admit it was a bit intimidating. Impressive. But still intimidating.

"Alright. Guess it is story time." She leaned back into the couch, looking up at the ceiling as she remembered her final days at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. "My brother and I had been brought to the Jedi Temple when we were young. Our father was a Jedi Master, so as soon as we showed any kind of Force sensitivity, we were brought in for training. Never saw the old man much..."

"What was he like? Did he train you two?" Tili asked, plopping down on the couch beside his sister.

"No, he didn't train us." Syra shook her head, "I really don't know too much about his time on Coruscant. All I know is apparently he did something to anger the Jedi Council and was banished. He was doing some shady work with mercenaries and searching for Sith holocrons, or something like that.

"Regardless, the Jedi Order took Nikol and I in for training. It was... fine I suppose. Nothing too spectacular. My brother rose through the ranks and was taken under the wind of one of the Council members. I preferred going on missions and seeing the galaxy.

"Things changed for me when the Jedi Council began seeking out 'Dark Side' users." She quoted the words with her fingers, her voice taking on a venomous tone. "They saw various Sith, or at least people who decided to call themselves Sith, cropping up around the galaxy and laying claims on territories. Some just wanted economic dominance, others wanted to impose their might... They are a variety of assholes who I have no love for." She gave the ceiling a sour look, "The idea of imposing yourself on others, controlling others... It's..." She trailed off before looking at the siblings. "You want to know why I don't hate your brother and the Red Blades? It's because I don't see them as evil. What those Sith do... thinking they have the right to exert control over others simply because they have more 'power'... **that** is evil."

Syra drew a slow breath through her nose as she tried to steady her nerves.

Slowly she began to speak again.

"The Jedi Council was so alarmed by this... they started going after any hints of Dark Side power. They would offer rewards to those who informed them about Jedi abusing the Force or using it in a way the Council deemed to be 'immoral'. At first they focused on rogue Jedi, but it didn't take long for them to branch out to Force sensitives in general. A number of Jedi left the order in protest... Some were later accused of turning to the Dark Side... Eventually the Council took the stance of 'you are with us or against us'. Basically you agreed to their rules, or you were a filthy Dark Side user." She got up and walked over to the cabinet, "I never agreed with their tactics. I refused to work with my Master. Of course, the Council did not like this... So I was given a choice. Straighten up... or leave."

Syra opened the cabinet and carefully picked up her old lightsaber. She held it in her palms as she turned to Adana and Tili, "I contacted one of the Grey Guild leaders in the inner rim and asked to join. As soon as I got news that I was welcome to join them, my brother was given instructions to banish me. His final gesture of kindness to me was letting me keep one lightsaber. He believed that my choosing to join the Grey Guilds showed that I wasn't a lost cause... And that's that. I joined the Guilds, Kwa-Shaan trained me here on Bothawui, and I got placed with two of the best damn people I've ever met."

"What happened to your brother?" Tili asked, his voice quiet.

She shrugged, placing the lightsaber back inside the cabinet, "Last I heard he got a seat on the Council. That's all I know." Her eyes were distant as her heart sank, "I don't know how much of the Council's thinking he agrees with... It's been so long."

A long, cold silence filled the apartment. Adana and Tili gave each other solemn looks. Neither of them could imagine being on opposite sides of a conflict with either of their siblings.

"Syra-" Adana began.

She was cut off by Quest'striumphant laugh as his call finally connected with Ferron. She looked over at Syra, saddened by the woman's distant expression. She hesitated for a moment before turning away to join Quest, she would speak with the woman after.

While the siblings rushed towards the terminal, Syra stood by the cabinet silently looking at the old photo of her and her brother.

How many years had it been? What was her brother like now? Did he know about what the Council was doing? ... Of course he did. He had. But did he really agree with it?

She glanced up as she felt a heavy arm settle over her shoulders and a delicate hand come to rest in the middle of her back. Vailun and Col'Dre offered her warm, sympathetic looks.

"Are you going to be okay?" Col'Dre asked, keeping his voice quiet while the siblings spoke a short distance away.

Syra took a deep breath and nodded. "I will be... Stars, I hope Nikohl isn't behind these Jedi and the Deadly Rals..." She shook her head, brushing away the thought. That was an issue they could deal with later. She nodded back at the terminal, "Let's see how Ferron and the others are."

***

One the screen, Ferron was shifting between talking to a medic and talking to his siblings. From what Syra and the others could hear as they approached, Ferron was sending some medics down to the barracks to treat the wounded that returned with him. It sounded like he was also looking for an update from a scout who was out searching for some of the other gang members who had yet to return.

"Glad to see you're in one piece." Syra commented.

"Mh. I'll be better once the rest of my team returns..." Ferron murmured as he glanced off screen towards the main entrance of his base. He focused back on the screen, "Sorry about that. Thank you. Your team has my deepest appreciation for keeping my brother and sister safe."

"Hey." Quest pouted.

Ferron chuckled, "And Quest too, of course."

"Who's still missing?" Vailun asked, "We could do a sweep of the arena level to help you out."

"Wrayth and two others. Apparently they decided to chase after the Rals that had fled the scene." He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Of course they didn't listen when I said not to."

There was a long hiss as a door slid open and a pair of Red Blades came rushing in. Ferron raised a hand to the screen, signalling that he would be back in a moment. His eyes were narrowed. He was already looking over the two gang members before they'd even approached him.

"Wrayth you idiot..." Quest pursed his lips, leaning against the wall as he anxiously tapped the toe of his boot against the carpet.

"He wouldn't really be foolish enough to go after them on their own territory, would he?" Syra asked.

Quest simply looked at her with a flat expression and a slightly arched brow.

"Yeah, that's a dumb question." she sighed.

"Why in the stars is he so dead set on going after these guys? He's just putting himself in more danger." Vailun asked.

Quest looked up, his mouth hanging open for a moment before shutting again. His eyes were pained. He folded his arms across his chest, hands clasping his forearms protectively. "Bothawui was not our first home..." his voice was soft, like a quiet breeze. "Our... Our home was attacked when we were young. Jedi came searching for those using the Dark Side. A number of our people were Force users... But they did not want to work with the Jedi Council. They did not want their Force Sensitive children to be trained by the Jedi Knights." There was a slight tremble to his fingers, "I don't remember much... but Grandma Marana said the adults would use a blend of 'light' and 'dark' side powers. Occasionally members of the Grey Guilds would come by to help with training or giving lessons on the Force. One of the lessons I remember most clearly is... there is no light or dark side to the Force. It is your intentions that make them good or bad. Fuck... that always made sense to me."

Syra bowed her head. She knew what was coming. She'd heard it so many times before. It never got easier.

"Something happened and our town found itself fighting with the Jedi. One morning I woke up to everything just..." he clenched his jaw, "... Grandma grabbed me and we started running. Wrayth's home was already destroyed. His parents gave him to my grandmother and told us to just keep running while they held the Jedi back."

The three Grey Jedi looked at the ground.

"Quest... I'm so sorry..." Syra whispered.

"There was nothing the Guilds could have done... By the time they arrived, everything was gone. Kwa-Shaan and Hendril actually organized a ship to bring the survivors to Bothawui for safe haven. Some of us stayed, some left. Some joined the Guilds... Some of us were so disillusioned at the time that we distanced ourselves from anything connected with the Jedi." He let out a bitter chuckle, "Kind of ironic that Wrayth and I joined a 'dark' jedi gang. Ferron's father was the leader at the time. He was a good man. Very honorable. He welcomed us in with open arms and gave us something stable to connect to. He helped my grandmother set up her shop and get a customer base."

Quest's attention was drawn to the screen as Ferron began cursing. At the corner of the screen two Red Blades were slinking away towards the barracks to get their wounds tended to. When Ferron reappeared, he looked furious.

"Ferron? What's going on?" Syra asked.

Quest felt his blood run cold as he leaned towards the screen.

Ferron's eyes shifted as he processed the information he'd received. His hands balled into fists as he gripped the edge of the table in front of him.

"They have Wrayth."


End file.
